SA vs ZIM Match 2 Results

3:16 PM IST The captain of Zimbabwe - Sikandar Raza reflects on the defeat. He does not shy away from calling this a tough start to the tri-series. Reflecting on the batting, he feels they finished perhaps 15 runs light, though he is quick to add that even those extra runs may not have mattered much given how ruthlessly South Africa's middle order responded. He is equally honest about the bowling, admitting it fell short of the standard required, and points to a broader issue of the three departments simply not complementing one another on the day. Still, he takes it as a valuable learning curve heading forward, hoping his side can come back and function as a more cohesive unit next time out. When he is asked to pick out the positives, he singles out the Powerplay batting and the finishing as two areas he is genuinely happy with. He praises the partnership stitched together by Marumani and Madhevere, alongside a strong opening effort from Bennett and Ben Curran at the top. It was the middle phase, he explains, where things unraveled, though he is quick to note that the scorecard does not tell the full story either, with a number of boundaries coming off edges rather than clean strokes. On the bowling front specifically, he felt the seamers acquitted themselves well.

3:15 PM IST Time to sign off - Much like a school kid bolting through the gates the instant the final bell rings, it is time to call the day off here from Windhoek. Jokes apart, South Africa dashed their way to chase 145 and are back in winning ways. Zimbabwe on the other hand, haven't been at their best in the shortest format and need a lot of soul-searching to do in their upcoming games. And that's that from this game. But the tri-series in Namibia rolls on, with the third match pitting a bruised Zimbabwean side against Namibia, who will walk in with their heads held high after that opening day domination over the Proteas. There is a day's breather in between, though, with that game scheduled to be played on Monday, 31st August. The first ball will be bowled at 12 pm GMT. But for now, you can switch tabs to follow all the updates from the 3rd day of the 2nd Test between England and Pakistan, currently underway at Lord's. From here, though, it's goodbye. Take care, cheers!

3:07 PM IST The victorious captain of South Africa - Bjorn Fortuin says that there was not a lot of time to bounce back from their previous loss, but they did well. About the conditions, he says that the wicket was great and the crowd was excellent as well. On being asked about Brevis, he says that Brevis is a great power hitter and he enjoys watching him play. He ends by saying that they have a bit of rest and they will try and learn from their mistakes.

3:06 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Without a doubt, DEWALD BREVIS gets the accolade for his unbeaten and blistering 75* (32). On the overall performance by the team, Brevis says that it was great to get off to a good start, and he is happy with how everyone played. He also speaks of visible improvement across the board today, in the field, with the ball and with the bat alike, and is pleased to see it translate into a result. When asked about the support, he says that the crowd has been great here and ends by saying that he is happy with the win.

3:03 PM IST ... The post-match Presentation ...

3:02 PM IST Trapped in a spiral - Zimbabwe had a bright start, with Brian Bennett and Ben Curran's positive intent yielding 54 runs in the Powerplay. But the wheels came off as soon as Bennett departed, failing to convert his start. South Africa's spinners then sprang the trap, picking off Zimbabwe's experienced core one by one, Raza and Burl among the casualties, as the innings slid alarmingly from 76/1 to 94/5. Tadiwanashe Marumani provided a brief spark through a brisk 30, but with little support at the other end, wickets kept tumbling and Zimbabwe limped to a below-par 144. South Africa's bowlers, in turn, made light work of a good batting surface. Duan Jansen leaked runs at over 11 an over but redeemed himself with a three-wicket haul, while debutant Eathan Bosch made an immediate impact, finishing with 1/20, and Fortuin, Maphaka and Subrayen were all miserly in their spells, with each bowler claiming at least one wicket.