SA beat ZIM by 5 wickets | Zimbabwe vs South Africa, Highlights And Cricket Score 1st ODI Match

Right then! It was expected to be a one-sided contest and it eventually turned out to be that way in the end. The match has barely lasted 60 overs. Can we get a better contest, come game 2? Let us hope that. Join us for the second ODI on Wednesday, 3rd October, 2018 at 1 pm local (1100 GMT). That is a day-night affair. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

JP Duminy like the ones before him, agrees that the pitch behaved stranger than usual. Says that the Kimberley track does a bit in the morning but today, it was a bit more. Is not too worried about his batsmen getting dismissed and outs it down to job done in the end. Is proud of his team for sticking to the game plans and executing them well. And then, he says that it was a difficult wicket to bat upon. On being asked about South Africa trying to play aggressive cricket, Duminy admits that it is a plan but today, it could not quite come off as batting aggressively on this pitch was difficult. (Still, his batsmen kept playing their shots...)

LUNGI NGIDI HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH. He, too, seems surprised by the spice in the wicket. Is happy to register a win after two successive losses in Sri Lanka. On his bowling plans, Lungi says that with the surface doing so much, he just needed to put the ball in the right areas. On choosing the right end, Ngidi credits it to Rabada who preferred to run into the wind as the latter likes to challenge himself, giving Lungi the easier option. Having said that, Ngidi also says that he too, would have loved to run into thr wind. On his success, he says that he is enjoying international cricket at the moment and hopes to be consistent.

Zimbabwean skipper, Hamilton Masakadza admits that he was surprised by how the pitch played. Adds that the team did have a look at the surface in the morning but it played out a bit more fruitful for the bowlers than it looked. Laments the poor batting but looking at the track, he feels that had his team got 50-60 more runs, it would have been a great contest. On the remaining matches, he wishes that his batting unit puts more runs on the board.

Now, a word about Zimbabwe's bowling. Could not find too many words to describe about their batting. But with the ball, their attitude was impressive. They knew that to win, or even compete, they had to bowl South Africa out and they did so, smartly. One cannot say that they bowled impeccable lines and lengths but they were toying with the ego of the opposition. Tendai Chatara perhaps, could have been given more overs. Please stay tuned or the presentation.

Heinrich Klaasen top scored for South Africa but cannot say that he looked a class apart. He too, played the same type of shots as his other mates did and gifted his wicket as well. Only, he lasted longer than the rest. In the dressing room, the team will be discussing on how can the batting do better next time.

Coming in with an aim of demolishing the opposition bowlers, the home side played more attacking shots than necessary. One can understand their motive but normal cricket could have got them results for their strokes as well. However, they tried to hit out almost each and every ball and as a result - were 4 down for 58. Another wicket there and we would have had a game on our hands.

A look at the match - one side gets bowled out inside 35 overs while the other loses half its unit in chasing a paltry total. But was it really that difficult a pitch? Well, perhaps - there was a shade of uneven bounce here and there. But while Zimbabwe batsmen lost their wickets to some good bowling, the same cannot be said about the Proteas.

Comfortable win for South Africa. But they made a hash of it. They have registered their BIGGEST ODI WIN over Zimbabwe in terms of balls remaining, but it was a bit of careless cricket from the home side's batsmen.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. FOUR! VICTORY FOR SOUTH AFRICA! They have huffed and puffed but have eventually got there. Down the leg side, Mulder just gets a tickle, past the keeper, to the fine leg fence. South Africa win by 5 wickets and 143 balls to spare.

Brandon Mavuta to JP Duminy. FOUR! Down the leg side, Duminy paddles it fine and gets a boundary. South Africa are a hit away from a win now.

Brandon Mavuta to Willem Mulder. On middle, flicked through the leg side for a run.

Brandon Mavuta to Willem Mulder. Full and around middle, Mulder looks to flick but gets a bit of a leading edge to the off side.

Brandon Mavuta to Willem Mulder. Full and just around off, watchfully defended.

Brandon Mavuta to JP Duminy. On middle and leg, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Brandon Mavuta to JP Duminy. Full and around off, watchfully defended.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. Shorter and flatter this, punched off the back foot.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. Errs in length and lands it shorter of full length, Mulder rocks back and punches it through point, the fielder at sweeper cover does well to run across and restrict the batsmen to just a brace.

Sean Williams to JP Duminy. Tossed up delivery on off, Duminy skips down the track and drives it to long of for a single.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. Mulder flicks it away with a wristy shot and picks up a single.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. Fuller on middle, played to mid-wicket to get a run and change strike. Intelligent batting this.

Sean Williams to Willem Mulder. Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.