Cricket: Zimbabwe slide to an embarrassing two-day defeat

Zimbabwe batted better than they had on their terrible first day, but they still succumbed to an embarrassing defeat against South Africa inside two days in the first Test at Newlands overnight (NZ time).

The Zimbabweans were bowled out in their second innings for 265, to go down by an innings and 21 runs, despite some late fireworks from Andy Blignaut which threatened to make South Africa bat again.

Matters had returned to something like normal in the morning session, as the batsmen played patiently on a good batting pitch. Only two wickets went down before lunch, and only one more in the first hour afterwards – but the afternoon drinks interval obviously served up something surprising, as four quick wickets tumbled, including the top-scorer Dion Ebrahim for 72, to put the skids under Zimbabwe.

The lunch score of 95 for 2 would have been an ideal start on the first day of a Test. The trouble was that after yesterday's nightmarish performance, when Zimbabwe were shot out for 54, they were already firmly behind the eight-ball.

Graeme Smith had surprised some by declaring at the overnight total of 340 for 3, setting a daunting target of 286 just to avoid an innings defeat.

It was the first two-day Test since Australia humbled Pakistan at Sharjah in October 2002, and even that game never descended into the farce that was the first afternoon here, when South Africa piled on a massive 249 runs in 33 overs.

Those worried about Zimbabwe's suitability for international cricket might have been a little less outspoken today, but they won't go away.

SCORES:

South Africa 340 for 3 dec (Smith 131, de Villiers 98) beat Zimbabwe 54 (Kallis 4-13) and 265 (Ebrahim 72, Blignaut 61, Boje 4-106) by an innings and 21 runs

- CRICINFO