South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2nd ODI - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

You can also share your views via the Twitter handle- @fancricket12

JP Duminy | SA skipper: The pitch certainly wasn't ideal. From the position we were in to get to 198 was superb. The plan Dale came out with while facing bowlers was exceptional. If you look at the surfaces we have had in the two games, it is tough for the guys to claim their positions in the side. But we still have a match to go and it is a chance to represent your country so hopefully the guys would step up. The bowling has been superb - Dale coming into his own, Tahir coming into his best. Again we are hoping that the wicket in Paarl would be one where runs would be scored and hopefully the guys playing would take it with both hands.

Dale Steyn | Man of the Match: I don't know what to say (laughs on getting the MoM for his batting). The wicket was quite tough and myself and Andile built up a good partnership. In the County season you are always batting, but the good thing is that I am playing a lot of cricket these days. My last game was two weeks ago and I feel cricket fit. While bowling I couldn't feel my fingers, they were freezing! I was looking to hit the deck hard and the Zimbabweans found it tough. Our batters found it tough too and they bowled really well at the start. I hope it gets better at Paarl.

Hamilton Masakadza | Zim skipper: I am really gutted. From a perfect position it is really disappointing to see the way the game went. The guys bowled really well up front but we just couldn't close it off. We definitely need more application from the boys; we lost two wickets and then consolidated but it is disappointing that we lost so many wickets to the spinner and not the seamers. We just needed a couple of partnerships to take us through but we couldn't get that.

South Africa seal series with thumping win

Oh, once Masakadza fell, it turned out to be a monumental collapse as Zimbabwe lost seven wickets for the addition of just 21 to find themselves in tatters at 64 for 9. Tahir mixed up his googlies and straighter-ones with deadly effect to run through the heart of the opposition ranks on a track with more than enough variable bounce.

The last pair, Tiripano and Chatara, tried to delay the inevitable before the latter fell to Tahir as the hosts took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series.

Zimbabwe's batsmen would be disappointed with their performance. The conditions were tough for batsmen but they just didn't show the required technique and temperament.

Meanwhile, it turned out to be a welcome return to ODI cricket for Steyn as he bagged a couple of scalps and scored a crucial fifty.

South Africa gain upper hand

On a track with variable bounce, Tahir is the kind of bowler who could run through a side as he has the googly and targets the stumps. In the second ODI, he gave a glimpse of his skills by trapping Taylor in front with a googly. Ngidi then bagged his first scalp of the match by winning an LBW decision against Masakadza. The ball perhaps was going down leg.

The visitors are precariously placed at 43 for 4.

Dicey pitch

In the 11th over, Ngidi got one to rear awkwardly off the surface from a good length. The ball took the shoulder of Taylor's bat and flew over the slip cordon. Umpires, before the start of the next over, had a brief chat - maybe about the behaviour of the track?

More than enough deliveries have kept low with a few climbing awkwardly. And not surprisingly, batsmen have found it tough.

Phehlukwayo's stunner

Phehlukwayo has plucked a stunner at midwicket to send Ervine back to the hut. After surviving a testing spell from Steyn, Ervine pulled one towards midwicket but didn't look to keep it down. Phehlukwayo flew to his right to snaffle it. Great reflexes on display from the all rounder.

Bat or ball... Steyn on fire

Dale Steyn's dream day continued as he trapped Mire in front with a nip-backer bowled at 88mph. South Africa needed an early wicket and they have got one.

Steyn is also zipping through the crease quite well and consistently clocking 87-88mph.

Steyn's day with the willow!!

Steyn, the veteran fast bowler, crunched his maiden ODI fifty to lift South Africa to a respectable 198. Steyn, the champion fast bowler, showed his skills with the bat to crack eight fours and six to rescue the home side.

At 101 for 7, Zimbabwe were in the pole position but Phehlukwayo and Steyn stitched an alliance of 75 to lift the hosts.

In the end, the seasoned campaigner's innings might just turn out to be a game-changing knock. On a surface with variable bounce, Zimbabwe have a tough task on their hands to overhaul the target and pull off a memorable win.

Steyn, Phehlukwayo rescue South Africa

Phehlukwayo played with composure and also looked to play straight to collect valuable runs. He also shared a crucial stand with Steyn. Steyn, the veteran fast bowler, also showed his skills to tonk a few by cracking three fours in a single over from Chatara. The stand now is worth 69 vital runs.

Seven down; SA in deep trouble

Wow! South Africa are even down now with Jarvis winning an LBW decision against South Africa's captain Duminy. That is a huge scalp in the scheme of things. Jarvis continued to bowl a stump-to-stump line and and got it to straighten just enough to rap Duminy on the pads and he was adjudged LBW. The impact was perhaps marginal.

Zimbabwe's players would be dreaming of registering their only third win versus South Africa in ODIs. This is a great chance for them to pull off an upset.

Another one bites the dust

This is turning into a disaster for South Africa as Zondo too walks back to the pavilion. It was a leg-break from Mavuta that tuned with Zondo trying to drive through the line but overbalanced and missed it completely. In the process, his back heel moved out of the crease and Taylor effected a sharp stumping.

92 for 6!!

Jonker dislodged after cameo...

Jonker tried to break the shackles by thumping Tiripano for two fours and a six and then collected a couple of boundaries off Mavuta. But after getting a start, he too gifted his wicket away by attempting one slog too many and was cleaned by a straighter one from Mavuta.

Zimbabwe on top

Markram, for a while, looked good with some delightful punches and flicks before he threw his wicket away by edging one to Taylor. He tried to crack the cut but went too hard at it and was dislodged. Again on a wicket with uneven bounce on offer, better to play straighter.

Markram was the set batsman and South Africa needed him to get a score of some substance.

More trouble

More trouble for the hosts. Klaasen looked to pull but the ball wasn't exactly short and mistimed it to Mire at short midwicket who pouched a sharp catch. With uneven bounce on display, it would be better to play with a straight bat.

But credit has to go to Jarvis and Chatara for zooming it in on the stumps and bowling good lengths.

Jarvis joins in

What a tremendous start for the visitors? Jarvis targeted the stumps (inward angle) and with the ball keeping low, it just went through the defences of Hendricks. The batsman couldn't have done much to keep out that delivery.

South African tracks just seem to have lost its pace.

Chatara strikes

In the first over bowled by Jarvis, it tended to stay low. Chatara took advantage of it by bowling it in that channel and inducing an edge from Elgar. Great start from Zimbabwe. The track is on the slower side and staying relatively low.

Ready for action

Players from both teams go through their respective national anthems and we are ready for action. Kyle Jarvis has the new white ball in hand. Of course, the white Kookaburra hardly does anything off the seam or in the air. Elgar to take strike for the hosts.

Toss and teams

Hamilton Masakadza: It looks a very good wicket. Definitely excited about it (playing his 200th ODI). Just one change, (Wellington) Masakadza out for Trirpano - extra seam seamer. Should be a high scoring game. Will look to restrict them to a score of around 260 and then chase it down later.

Duminy:Looks like a good batting surface and we'll bat first. We want to test our batting. Good opportunity for the youngsters. Mulder sustained a fracture while practicing and Zondo replaces him. Steyn comes into the team. The responsibility (fifth bowler) lies on me. It's a great opportunity.

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza(c), Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor(w), Sean Williams, Peter Moor, Elton Chigumbura, Brandon Mavuta, Kyle Jarvis, Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara

South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Reeza Hendricks, Jean-Paul Duminy(c), Khaya Zondo, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Christiaan Jonker, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lungi Ngidi

South Africa have opted to bat. In terms of their playing XI, Zondo has come in for the injured Mulder. Dale Steyn, the veteran pacer, has made a return to ODI setup, with Rabada being rested.

For the visitors, Wellington Masakadza has been replaced by Trirpano

Build Up:

From the time Rhodesia's (Zimbabwe) players were eligible to play for South Africa and when Rhodesia joined eight other provincial teams in South Africa to play in the Currie Cup in 1946-47, cricket has connected the two neighbouring countries.

With a 36-2 win-loss record in their favour, South Africa can be considered as the 'Big Brother'. In fact, the last time Zimbabwe defeated their fancied neighbours in a One Day game was way back in 2000!

So going into the three-match ODI series between the two nations, Zimbabwe had to punch above their weight to stay in the series. In the first ODI in Kimberley, their bowlers gave a good account of themselves to ensure the South African batsmen didn't have it all easy while chasing a paltry target of 118.

Unfortunately, on a tricky surface, the senior hands in the batting line up, Williams, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza and Taylor, failed to deliver the goods. Meanwhile, South Africa huffed and puffed their way to a victory. Only Klaasen was able to negotiate the uneven bounce on view with a degree of confidence. The think tank, though, would be pleased with the way Ngidi, Rabada, Phehlukwayo and Mulder went about their work in dismantling Zimbabwe's line-up.

Can the hosts seal the series in the second game? Or will Zimbabwe post their first ODI win against South Africa since 2000? We will have all the action in a while.

On a side note, this match also turns out to be Masakadza's 200th ODI.