JOHANNESBURG. Feb 1: A superb sixth wicket partnership of 137 between Shaun Pollock and Hansie
Cronje earned South Africa a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the triangular one-day international at Wanderers here Friday, report agencies.
Between then. Pollock (75) and man-of-the-match Cronje (70 not out) established a South African record and turned a match that could so easily have gone the other way.
Winning the toss and electing to bat. Zimbabwe had posted a record score of 256 for eight at South Africa's premier ground, surpassing the 227 for five by Alan Border's Australians four seasons back.
. It had ppt Zimbabwe., fit
strong position to record their first win in the tri-nation series which also includes India.
"I thought we had a big chance and that 250 was a really good score here." said Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell.
"Chasing a big total like that was never going to be easy, but South Africa batted superbly."
Zimbabwe looked in an even stronger position early in the South African innings as Eddo Brandes ripped through the top of the South African order.
The 33-year-old chicken farmer trapped Andrew Hudson lbw for one. then had Lance Klusener caught by Guy Whlttal for five and Gary Kirsten lbw for seven to leave the home side at 16 for three.
Dearryll Cullinan (30) and a classy 34 in 28 balls from Jonty
Rhodes started to steady the ship, but when they both went, South Africa were 102 for five and it became anyone's game.
But then Pollock and Cronje got together and at one stage the pair put on 65 runs with only two twos and the rest in singles — they ground it out.
Like the South Africans, the start of the Zimbabwe innings had been unimpressive as Allan Donald took the first pair of his four wickets to tear the top-or-■ der to shreds in his second over.
The South African paceman. uncharacteristically taking the new ball in a limited overs match, grabbed the wickets of opener Andy Waller (I) from a spooned caught and bowled and tnen skittled Andy Flower for a duck two balls later to leave Zimbabwe struggling at six for two.
W^art #Rpripg J > 241 .before, the, innings, off Shaun Pollock's bowling. Zimbabwe skipper Campbell was then run out for 5 from a direct hit by Hudson to leave the visiting side floundering at 61 for four.
But then came a 93-run fifth wicket partnership from 103 balls by opener Grant Flower (62) and veteran Dave Houghton (57) and a 63-run joint effort from Paul Strang (40 not out) and Whlttal (41) for the seventh wicket and Zimbabwe were right back on track.
Houghton went to a catch by Jonty Rhodes from a leading edge, attempting to force the pace against off-spinner Pat Symcox with the total on 154, and Flower was bowled by Cronje just 14 runs letter.
Whlttall was out to a catch low down to Cronje off Donald, who then got his fourth wicket in the 49th over, bowling Heath Streak for 12.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard of the day night triangular series match between South Africa and Zimbabwe at the Wanderers on Friday:
ZIMBABWE
G Flower b Cronje 62
Waller c and b Donald 1
A Flower c Richardson b Donald 0
Wishart c Richardson b
Pollock 24
Campbell run out 5
Houghton c Rhodes b Symcox 57 Whlttall c Cronje b Donald 41
P Strang not out 40
Streak b Donald 12
Brandes not out 1
Extras: (lb-5, w-7, nb-1) 13
Total (For 8 wkts) 256
Fall of wickets 1-6; 2-6; 3-51; 4-61; 5-154; 6-168: 7-231: 8-247.
Did not bat: E Matambanadzo
Bowling O M R W
Donald 10 1 46 4
Bryson 8 1 44 0
Pollock 10 1 43 1
Klusener 7 0 39 0
Symcox 10 0 55 1
Cronje 5 1 24 1
SOUTH AFRICA
Hudson lbw Brandes 1
Kirsten lbw Brandes 7
Klusener c Whlttall b Brandes 5
Cullinan b Whlttall 30
Rhodes c Campbell b Matambanadzo 34
Cronje not out 70
Pollock b Streak 75
Richardson not out 11
Extras (lb-7. b-3. w-16) 26
Total (for 6 wkts) 259
Fall of wickets: 1-4: 2-15; 3-
16; 4-72^5- 102: .6-239
Did~not bat : P Symcox, R Bryson. A Donald
Bowling O M R W
Brandes 10 1 45 3
Streak 9 0 44 1
Whittail 9 0 47 1
Matambanadzo 8.3 0 53 1
Strang 10 0 48 0
G Flower 2 0 12 0
Result: South Africa won by four wickets
Man-of-the-match: Hansie Cronje