Zimbabwe tri-series: Five fantastic performances

Tags: Zimbabwe Triangular Series - 2014, South Africa, Australia, Zimbabwe

Published on: Sep 09, 2014

South Africa displayed great all-round skills to overcome the Aussies in the tri-nation final in Zimbabwe, and clinch the series. Here’s a look at some wonderful individual performances in the event.

South Africa displayed great all-round skills to overcome the Aussies in the tri-nation final in Zimbabwe, and clinch the series. Here’s a look at some wonderful individual performances in the event.


Dale Steyn (4 for 34): Once again, the South African spearhead stood up when it mattered the most. The Proteas bowled first in the final at Harare, and Steyn kept Australia down to 217 with a fantastic spell. Steyn dismissed Finch, Hughes, Maxwell and Haddin as Australia failed to post a challenging total. Not only did he pick up key wickets, but also kept the runs down. South Africa chased down the total with ease to win the final. Steyn was rightly adjudged the man of the final.


Faf du Plessis (96): Although South Africa were chasing only a small total to win the final, they needed one person to play a significant innings. As he had done throughout the series, du Plessis stood up once again in the final as well. He had registered three hundreds earlier in the series, and looked set to add one in the final as well. Although he failed to reach three figures, his knock was certainly the one that set up South Africa’s famous win. His high-quality 96 came off 99 balls with eight fours and a six, enough to help South Africa claim the title comprehensively.


AB de Villiers (136 not out): The South African skipper led from the front in the very second match of the tri-series against the Aussies at Harare. South Africa were chasing a massive 328 to win the game, and Faf du Plessis got a hundred in the game, but when he was dismissed for 106, South Africa were still way beyond the target. The captain however played a stellar knock. He smashed an unbeaten 136 from only 106 balls with 11 fours and 2 sixes. Thanks to his belligerent knock, South Africa romped home by seven wickets.


Aaron Finch (102): The Aussie opener got a hundred in the same match that de Villiers and du Plessis slammed tons. Had the South Africans not ended up on the winning side, Finch would certainly have been the man of the match. Australia batted first in the game, and Finch eased his way to 102 from 116 balls with the help of nine fours and one six. Thanks to Finch’s stellar knock, Australia reached a massive 327 for 7 at Harare. His knock however was put on the backburner following the Faf-AB show.


Prosper Utseya (5 for 36): Anotherexcellent effort in a losing cause. Zimbabwe bowled first in the third match of the series at Harare. Utseya’s five-for, which included a hat-trick, kept South Africa down to 231. Utseya’s scalps included those of Amla, de Kock, Miller and Duminy. At the halfway stage, it seemed Zimbabwe could cause a shock upset. However, the Zimbabwean batsmen weren’t good enough to stand up to the Proteas challenge, and ended up on the losing side in spite of Utseya’s heroics.


--By A Cricket Analyst

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