South Africa shine with bat and ball in big win

In Bulawayo, an inexperienced South African side steamrolled Zimbabwe in the first Test, leaving the hosts completely outclassed.

Coming in at number 10, Blessing Muzarabani provided a brief moment of entertainment for the sparse crowd with a cameo. But the result had been beyond doubt long before his knock. Even against a fresh-faced South Africa, Zimbabwe had no answers. With a crushing win, the Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the series.

South Africa won by a massive 328 runs. Chasing a daunting target of 537, Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 208 in the second session of Day 4.

It was Zimbabwe’s biggest defeat by runs in their 33-year Test history. The previous worst was a 315-run loss to Sri Lanka in the 2002 Galle Test — the only other time they’ve lost by over 300 runs.

After winning the ICC World Test Championship, South Africa rested several senior players. With Temba Bavuma injured, Keshav Maharaj led a young and relatively inexperienced side — and they still made a dominant start to the two-match series.

Playing only his second Test, Corbin Bosch delivered a spectacular all-round performance. The 30-year-old fast-bowling allrounder scored an unbeaten century from the No. 8 position in the first innings and followed it up with a brisk 36 off 41 in the second.

While he went wicketless in the first innings, Bosch returned to take 5 for 43 in the second.

He became only the fourth South African to score a century and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test — the last to do it was Jacques Kallis against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in 2002.

Interestingly, the first two players in Test history to achieve this rare double were also South Africans — Jimmy Sinclair (1899 vs England in Cape Town) and Aubrey Faulkner (1910 vs England in Johannesburg). Kallis did it twice. The last player globally to manage the feat was Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh, also against Zimbabwe in Chattogram in April.

Despite Bosch’s all-round brilliance, it was 19-year-old Luan-Dre Pretorius who took home the Player of the Match award. On debut, the young left-hander smashed a record-breaking 153 off 160 balls — becoming the youngest centurion in South Africa’s Test history and the youngest globally to score 150+.

Bosch had Zimbabwe on the back foot right away on Day 4, removing Nicholas Welch with the very first ball, creating a chance for a hat-trick. The previous evening, he had broken the opening stand by dismissing Takudzwanashe Kaitano — the final ball of Day 3.

Though he missed the hat-trick, Bosch struck again soon after, removing first-innings centurion Sean Williams for 26. Then, debutant pacer Kody Yusuf joined the action, removing Prince Masvaure, Wesley Madhevere, and Tafadzwa Tsiga in consecutive overs.

At 82 for 6, Zimbabwe were in deep trouble. A 83-run partnership between captain Craig Ervine and Wellington Masakadza offered some resistance.

Ervine’s innings ended at 49 when he was caught brilliantly at short leg by Tony de Giorgi off Bosch’s bowling. Bosch later bowled Vincent Masekesa to complete his five-wicket haul.

Masakadza, who top-scored with a gritty 57 off 92 balls, was eventually dismissed by spinner Keshav Maharaj. Muzarabani then added an entertaining unbeaten 32 off 29 balls, featuring 4 fours and 2 sixes, helping Zimbabwe cross the 200 mark.

The second Test will begin next Sunday at the same venue.