Bulawayo, July 1 (IANS) South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test match series as they thrashed Zimbabwe by 328 runs on the fourth day in Bulawayo, sealing their biggest Test victory over their neighbours in terms of runs.

The architects of the triumph were Corbin Bosch, who claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul to go with his century on the opening day, and Wiaan Mulder, whose all-round contribution and incisive spells kept Zimbabwe on the mat.

After setting an improbable 537 to win, Zimbabwe folded for 208, despite a spirited seventh-wicket partnership between captain Craig Ervine and Wellington Masakadza.

South Africa couldn’t have asked for a better start as Bosch, who had already dismissed Takudzwanashe Kaitano with the final ball of day three, greeted Nick Welch on the fourth morning with a snorter of a short ball. The delivery cramped Welch for room, forcing an ungainly fend that popped to short leg.

Bosch was suddenly on a hat-trick, but Sean Williams survived the next delivery. The collapse that followed, though, was swift and brutal.

Bosch removed Williams shortly after, the aggressive left-hander flashing four boundaries in his 18-ball 26 before top-edging another short ball to Kyle Verreynne.

Codi Yusuf kept the pressure up, dismissing Prince Masvaure and Wessly Madhevere in quick succession, while Tafadzwa Tsiga was snared at slip. Zimbabwe had slumped from 64-2 to 82-6, with little resistance in sight.

Refusing to go down without a scrap, Ervine and Masakadza produced a counterpunching 83-run stand that gave Zimbabwe fleeting hope. Ervine combined sweeps and reverse sweeps to unsettle Keshav Maharaj, while Masakadza, dropped on 10, grew in confidence and notched his maiden Test fifty with a punch through gully off Bosch. The duo doubled the score and frustrated the South Africans either side of lunch.

But just when it seemed Zimbabwe might force South Africa to work deep into the day, Bosch returned to end the partnership. His sharp bouncer found Ervine’s inside edge, brilliantly taken at short leg by Tony de Zorzi. Bosch then bowled Vincent Masekesa to complete his five-for, becoming only the fifth South African to score a century and take five wickets in a Test.

Masakadza’s defiance ended on 57 as Bosch continued to reap rewards, but Blessing Muzarabani offered one last hurrah. The No.10 smashed Dewald Brevis for 4, 4, 6 in an over and took on Maharaj for another six and four to provide some late entertainment.

It was Brevis who had the final say, picking up his maiden Test wicket when Tanaka Chivanga was stumped charging down the track.

South Africa’s win was built on a towering first-innings total where debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius’s 153 and Bosch’s maiden ton set the platform. Their bowlers, led by Bosch, Mulder and Yusuf, complemented that effort with relentless discipline.

Brief scores: South Africa 418/9 dec & 369 all out in 82.5 overs (Wiaan Mulder 147, Keshav Maharaj 51; Wellington Masakadza 4/98, Tanaka Chivanga 2/76) beat Zimbabwe 251 all out & 208 all out in 66.2 overs (Wellington Masakadza 57, Craig Ervine 49; Corbin Bosch 5/43; Codi Yusuf 3/22) by 328 runs

–IANS

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