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Page last updated at 20:55 GMT, Friday, 22 October 2010 21:55 UK

South Africa romp past Zimbabwe to win ODI series 3-0

Third one-day international, Benoni:
South Africa 399-6 (50 ovs) beat Zimbabwe 127 (29 ovs) by 272 runs
Match scorecard

South Africa celebrate the dismissal of Hamilton Masakadza
South Africa have won all five limited-overs matches against Zimbabwe

South Africa romped to a 272-run win - their biggest one-day victory - to complete a 3-0 sweep in the one-day international series against Zimbabwe.

JP Duminy (129) and AB de Villiers (109) added 219 for the third wicket as the Proteas dominated in Benoni, finishing on 399-6 from their 50 overs.

Chasing their unlikely target, Zimbabwe lost wickets at regular intervals.

Tatenda Taibu top-scored with 28 as they were skittled for 127, with seamer Rusty Theron taking 3-18 in six overs.

"I think we've steadily improved throughout the series. The hard work is starting to pay off," said South Africa skipper Graeme Smith.

South Africa had previously won the Twenty20 international series 2-0 and made sure of the one-day whitewash in emphatic fashion.

Having won the toss and chosen to bat first, Smith and opening partner Hashim Amla made 49 in the first five overs but fell within nine balls of each other to leave the home side 59-2 when Duminy and De Villiers came together.

S AFRICA - HIGHEST ODI STANDS
235 - G Kirsten & HH Gibbs v India, March 2000
232 - DJ Cullinan & JN Rhodes v Pakistan, September 1996
219 - JP Duminy & AB de Villiers v Zimbabwe, Oct 2010
194 - HH Dippenaar & JH Kallis v W Indies, May 2005
190 - G Kirsten & MJR Rindel v Pakistan, Jo'burg, January 1995

Duminy's only previous one-day hundred was also against Zimbabwe, in November 2009 - but he and De Villiers smashed nine sixes and 12 fours between them as Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura used nine different bowlers.

The in-form De Villiers brought up his second successive century from 59 balls before falling to Hamilton Masakadza's part-time medium pace, as the bowler's brother Shingirai took the catch at deep mid-wicket.

The Duminy-De Villiers stand was South Africa's highest ODI partnership for the third wicket, and the joint-ninth biggest of all time - as well as being the Proteas' third most prolific for any wicket.

Duminy holed out with six overs left but Albie Morkel, David Miller and Colin Ingram ensured they compiled their third highest one-day score, finishing within a whisker of 400.

South Africa's five-man attack then combined well to make short work of the visitors' batting line-up, winning with 21 overs to spare.

Only Taibu and Craig Ervine (24) looked set to hold up the procession of wickets, but after they were both bowled by off-spinner Johan Botha, the writing was on the wall for the tourists - despite some late entertainment as tail-ender Shingirai Masakadza lofted Botha for two sixes.

"We didn't play our best cricket today, both batting and bowling," Chigumbura commented.

"Overall, our skill levels are under-par. It's something we have to go back home and work on."

South Africa now travel to the United Arab Emirates, where they will face Pakistan in two Twenty20 internationals, five ODIs and two Tests, beginning on 26 October with a T20 match to raise money for the victims of the floods in Pakistan.



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see also
Theron shines in South Africa win
17 Oct 10 |  Cricket
Ingram trumps Taylor on SA debut
15 Oct 10 |  Cricket
Duminy shines as SA beat Zimbabwe
10 Oct 10 |  Cricket
Smith leads S Africa to easy win
08 Oct 10 |  Cricket
Smith cuts SA captaincy workload
18 Aug 10 |  South Africa
South Africa wrap up series win
29 Jun 10 |  Cricket
Zimbabwe in South Africa 2010
28 Jun 10 |  Cricket


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