Staff Reporter.
Bad light had the final say once again, as the South Africa ‘A’ team came out on the winning side this time, by 51 runs, in their second one-day match against Zimbabwe XI on Wednesday.
Reeza Hendricks blasted 102 runs from 107 deliveries as the visitors levelled the series via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
South Africa posted another competitive total of 266 for six at the end of their 50 overs thanks to Hendricks’s century and a half-century from Ryan Rickelton (63 off 82, 5x4s, 1×6).
Hendricks’s knock featured four boundaries as he spearheaded the South African innings.
Other contributions were in the 20s by captain, Heinrich Klaasen (28 off 16), Andile Phehlukwayo (27 off 23) and Theunis de Bruyn (24 off 31).
Tendai Chatara (2-44), Wellington Masakadza (2-49) and Sikandar Raza (2-56) were the leaders with the ball in hand, returning two wickets each.
The visitors did well to quell the scoring rate in this match, reducing the hosts to 93 for four at the 20 over mark before the light called an early end to proceedings. Raza and Milton Shumba were unbeaten for 39 (36 balls) and 31 (41) respectively.
Lizaad Williams (2-19) was once again the top-order destroyer, taking the wickets of Kevin Kasuza and Prince Masvaure for none and six respectively within the first six overs of their reply.
Wessley Madhevere also departed without scoring thanks to Gerald Coetzee (1-2), with Daryn Dupavillon (1-10) taking care of opener Takudzwanashe Kaitano for 14.
The series decider will take place at the same venue on Friday, 29 April.