05 March 2005	Saturday	23 Muharram 1426

CAPE TOWN, March 4: Zimbabwe took a pounding from South Africa in arguably the most one-sided day in Test history at Newlands Friday when the tourists were bowled out for just 54 before the home side stormed to 340-3 in reply.

It was Zimbabwe's lowest ever Test score although they managed to avoid breaking the record for the worst ever innings - 26 made by New Zealand against England in 1954-1955. But that was no consolation as they were left hapless by a South African team who reached 340 for three in just 50 overs and smashed numerous records along the way.

Zimbabwe's previous lowest total was 63 against the West Indies in Port of Spain in 1999/2000. It was also the lowest total by any side against South Africa. The previous low was 66 by India in Durban in 1996/97.

South Africa's lead of 286 was the biggest achieved on the opening day of a Test match, beating a record set at Lord's in 1896, when an England team, which included WG Grace, led by 233 runs after bowling out Australia for 53.

All-rounder Jacques Kallis took four for 13 and opening bowlers Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini took three wickets apiece as Zimbabwe were dismissed 25 minutes after lunch.

Captain Graeme Smith (121) and AB de Villiers (98) hammered 217 for the first wicket at better than six runs an over as South Africa raised serious doubts about Zimbabwe's continued status as a Test nation.

Further humiliation was piled on Zimbabwe when Kallis thrashed the fastest fifty in Test history, reaching the mark off 24 balls with five sixes and three fours to beat the previous record, set by England's Ian Botham against India in New Delhi in 1981/82.

South Africa scored 249 runs in 33 overs between tea and the close, with the heaviest punishment suffered by leg-spinner Graeme Cremer, who had the extraordinary figures of three for 86 from nine overs.

The 18-year-old took all three wickets to catches from attempted big hits. Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bat on a pitch which had good bounce and slightly more grass than usual. They were undone primarily by an inability to play lifting deliveries.

That it was essentially a good batting surface was shown by Smith and De Villiers, who took South Africa into the lead after 11.2 overs. Ntini and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher achieved significant landmarks during Zimbabwe's brief innings.

When Ntini claimed his first wicket, bowling Dion Ebrahim, he became the third South African to take 200 Test wickets. He was playing in his 55th Test. Boucher held three catches, with the second, to dismiss Brendan Taylor off Ntini's bowling, making him the third wicket-keeper in Test history to achieve 300 dismissals.

He finished the innings with 288 catches and 13 stumpings in 79 matches. The Zimbabwe team included Heath Streak and Andy Blignaut, both making their first Test appearances since the player row that stripped the team of many of its leading players last year.

The International Cricket Council decided last June to postpone Zimbabwe's scheduled series against England and Pakistan in order to preserve the integrity of Test cricket following a rebellion by 15 leading players.

Kallis clearly went out with the intention of beating Botham's record for the fastest fifty, checking with the dressing room how many balls he had left to break the record before sweeping Cremer for six. He had earlier hit three successive sixes off Cremer.

SCOREBOARD



Zimbabwe (1st innings)



S Matsikenyeri c De Villiers b Ntini           12



B Rogers c Boucher b Pollock                   1



D Ebrahim b Ntini                              3



H Masakadza lbw b Kallis                       6



B Taylor c Boucher b Ntini                     2



T Taibu c De Villiers b Kallis                 7



E Chigumbura c Smith b Kallis                  2



H Streak c Boucher b Pollock                   9



A Blignaut c Boje b Kallis                     8



G Cremer c Kallis b Pollock                    0



C Mpofu not out                                0



Extras (nb 4)                                  4



Total (31.2 overs)                             54



Fall of wkts: 1-2, 2-13, 3-20, 4-22, 5-33, 6-36, 7-37, 8-50, 9-50.



Bowling: Pollock 8-4-9-3 (2nb), Ntini 10-2-23-3, Langeveldt 6-2-9-0 (2nb), 
Kallis 7.2-3-13-4.



South Africa (1st innings)



G Smith c Masakadza b Cremer                   121



A de Villiers c Blignaut b Cremer              98



J Rudolph not out                              49



J Kallis c Blignaut b Cremer                   54



H Gibbs not out                                8



Extras (lb1, nb8, w1)                          10



Total (3 wkts, 50 overs)                       340



Bowling: Streak 13-0-90-0 (4nb), Mpofu 12-2-53-0, Blignaut 6-0-44-0 (2nb, 1w), 
Chigumbura 8-0-53-0 (1nb), Cremer 9-0-86-3 (1nb), Matsikenyeri 1-0-6-0, 
Taylor 1-0-7-0.



To bat: A Prince, M Boucher, S Pollock, N Boje, M Ntini, C Langeveldt.



Umpires: B Bowden (NZL), B Doctrove (WIS).



TV umpire: B Jerling (RSA).



Match referee: A Hurst (AUS). -Agencies



FASTEST TEST FIFTIES



 (Balls, Player, Match, Venue, Season):



24 balls J Kallis South Africa v Zimbabwe Cape Town 2004-05



26 balls I Botham England v India Delhi 1981-82



27 balls Yousuf Youhana Pakistan v South Africa Cape Town 2002-03



30 balls Kapil Dev India v Pakistan Karachi 1982-83



31 balls H Cronje South Africa v Sri Lanka Centurion 1997-98



32 balls V Richards West Indies v India Kingston 1982-83



32 balls I Botham England v New Zealand The Oval 1986.