Tahir leads SA to victory
PROTEAS: SHOW WHY YOU CAN‘T BUY EXPERIENCE
Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir showed why you just can’t buy experience as they led South Africa to victory over Zimbabwe on a dastardly pitch in the second one-day international in Bloemfontein yesterday.
Tahir, typically, stole the limelight as he took six for 24, the best figures for the Proteas against Zimbabwe, including a hat-trick, to bundle Zimbabwe out for just 78, their lowest ever total against South Africa.
It gave the home side victory by 120 runs, but Steyn also enjoyed a wonderful evening on his comeback to ODI cricket after two years away.
That South Africa managed to post 198 after electing to bat first on a pitch on which you were never sure whether the ball would bounce shin-high or rear up at your throat, was mostly due to Steyn.
Coming to the crease with the innings in disarray on 101 for seven, Steyn scored 60, his maiden ODI half-century, and batted with tremendous composure as he shared a crucial 75-run eighth-wicket partnership with Andile Phehlukwayo (28).
The 35-year-old Steyn played the situation perfectly, just making sure he stayed in – he was the last man dismissed in the 48th over – while also taking advantage of any scoring opportunities with some superb drives and pulls.
Steyn, who finished with two for 19 in six overs, then showed that he is still one of the most fearsome, and skilful, fast bowlers in the world in an excellent opening spell in which he made the first two strikes and gave the Zimbabwe batsmen a torrid time.
But Tahir is so often South Africa’s key strike bowler and he showed that he is still at the peak of his powers at the age of 39, ripping through the middle-order with three wickets and then completing the fourth ODI hat-trick for the Proteas in the 20th over, his fourth.
Charl Langeveldt (v West Indies, 2004/5), JP Duminy (v Sri Lanka, 2015 World Cup), and Kagiso Rabada (on debut, v Bangladesh 2015), are the other SA bowlers to achieve the feat.
While the series win is secured, there are still warning lights over the depth of South African batting.