South Africa thumped Zimbabwe by 212 runs to sweep the two-match one-day international series on Tuesday and complete preparations for the series against England. After piling up 331-5 at Centurion Park, South Africa bowled Zimbabwe for 119 in the 35th over. The Proteas brought in Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy and Roelof van der Merwe after the 45-run win at Benoni on Sunday, and all three were major contributors in a clinical performance. Duminy racked up his maiden ODI century, an unbeaten 111, Kallis smacked 81 and featured in a century opening stand with Graeme Smith, and Van der Merwe took 3-27 as he finished off the Zimbabwe tail. Zimbabwe chase began badly and never recovered. Both openers, Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor, were dismissed for ducks by the fourth over. Only Tatenda Taibu, who made a century at Benoni, managed to frustrate the South Africans with a half century off 68 balls including seven boundaries, but he was out for 52 at 95-8 off Charl Langeveldt. Nobody else scored more than 13. Langeveldt (3-36), Albie Morkel (3-20) and Van der Merwe (3-27) claimed the spoils, while Lonwabo Tsotsobe had Taylor caught in his 1-23. Kallis, recovered from a rib strain, and Smith gave South Africa a perfect foundation with 108 together, until the captain swished at Prosper Utseya and was stumped by Taibu for 53, including seven fours and a six. Kallis and Duminy combined for 78 for the third wicket before Kallis bottom-edged Utseya and was caught at short third man for 81. After Ray Price took an expensive 3-55 to leave South Africa at 273-5, Boucher joined Duminy and smashed the Zimbabwe bowlers for 58 off 33 balls. Boucher finished with an unbeaten 19-ball 31, and Duminy hit nine boundaries and two sixes. His 50 took 49 balls and he brought up his first century in 51 matches in 82 balls. South Africa plays England in the first of two Twenty20s on Friday in Johannesburg, followed by five ODIs and four tests through December and January.
