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Potchefstroom - Playing in only his second one day international for South Africa, Rusty Theron took a fifer as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 268 against the Proteas in Potchefstroom on Sunday.
Batting second, it took South Africa just 39 overs to reach their target, winning the match by eight wickets and the series 2-0, with one more game to play.
Hashim Amla made his second consecutive century (110) ably supported by Graeme Smith (40) and AB de Villiers hit a six off the last ball to reach his 101, in South Africa's chase.
Earlier, Zimbabwe won the toss and batted steadily as Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha put on 59 runs off 76 balls.
An astute bowling change sent Taylor back to the dressing room after he top-edged Theron. The high ball was taken by wicketkeeper De Villiers.
In the space of eight balls, the visitors then found themselves at 60 for three.
Sean Williams came and went when he got a faint edge off Theron's last ball of the same over and, in the next over, Wayne Parnell had Chibhabha out in similar fashion.
Tatenda Taibu and Grant Flower steadied the ship and put on 47 runs together before Flower had his middle stump removed by JP Duminy. Flower scored 22 at a run a ball.
Craig Ervine was out next when he lofted a ball to Robin Peterson at mid-on giving Charl Langeveldt his first wicket of the match. Ervine made 27 after he and Taibu had put on 48 runs off 64 balls.
Zimbabwe's captain Elton Chigumbura was Theron's third victim when he was bowled for 13.
Taibu was next. He hit a simple enough outside edge off Langeveldt which went low to Theron at short third man. Taibu was reluctant to walk but was eventually sent on his way, ending an excellent innings of 78 off 90 balls.
Keith Dabengwa top-edged Theron as De Villiers pouched another catch, gifting the bowler his fourth wicket. He was followed shortly by Prosper Utseya, who was caught by Robin Peterson off the bowling of Parnell.
Theron ended with figures of 5/44 when he removed the stumps of Graeme Cremer, leaving Shingirai Masakadza on two not out.
In reply, Amla and Graeme Smith opened the batting for South Africa and shared an 84 run partnership for the first wicket before Smith, going for his shot too early, holed out to Dabengwa at mid-off to give Chigumbura his only wicket.
De Villiers joined Amla at the crease and the Zimbabweans offered no resistance as they knocked off the runs.
Amla was eventually caught by Dabengwa for 110, when he flicked Masakadza to mid-wicket. His runs came off 103 balls and included 12 fours.
De Villiers offered one chance when he was on 67 but the ball landed between two fielders and he and Duminy (15 not out) saw the Proteas safely home.
The two teams meet in Benoni on Friday for the third and final match of the series.
