26/12Result
Only Test (D/N), Zimbabwe tour of South Africa [Dec 2017] at Gqeberha, Dec 26-27 2017
South Africa won by an inns & 120 runs
Player of the Match
Aiden Markram
Aiden MarkramSouth Africa
26/12Result
Only Test (D/N), Zimbabwe tour of South Africa [Dec 2017] at Gqeberha, Dec 26-27 2017
South Africa won by an inns & 120 runs
Player of the Match
Aiden Markram
Aiden MarkramSouth Africa

Day 2

Day 1

Report
2554dThe Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy

Markram and Morkel put South Africa in charge

St George's Park underwent a transformation under lights as nine wickets fell for 88 runs in the post-dinner session after an Aiden Markram century had given South Africa a strong batting platform

Others

2552dFirdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth

Four-day format 'encourages positive cricket' - de Villiers

The Port Elizabeth Test didn't even get to its scheduled halfway point, but it still gave players from both sides enough time to form opinions about four-day Test cricket and playing under lights with the pink ball

2553dFirdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth

De Villiers' return sparks hope and concern

His comeback innings promised something special on one hand. On the other, it left several big questions unanswered for South Africa, especially around team combination

A short finish

1

No. of Tests to be completed in fewer balls in last 50 years than this Test which had only 907 balls. The Sharjah Test of 2002 between Pakistan and Australia last only 893 balls.

Fifth lowest

4

No. of smaller Test totals for Zimbabwe, than the 68 in this game. This is also the lowest total for any team this year.

Long gap

2012

Last time Morne Morkel took a five-wicket haul in Tests, before today's match. He had picked it against Australia at Adelaide in November 2012. His last five-for at home was in December 2010.

Session of wickets

88/9

Score in the final session on first day. In first two sessions, 251 runs were scored for loss of four wickets while the last session saw 9 wickets for 88 runs in 29 overs.

Solid beginning

380

Runs for Markram from his four Test innings, the fifth-most for any batsman. Javed Miandad leads the chart with 419 runs while the previous best among SA batsmen was 311 runs by Rudolf.

Excellent start

3

No. of 50+ scores for Aiden Markram from his 4 Test innings. He scored 97, 15 and 143 in the series against Bangladesh and has scored another fifty in this match.

New format

1973

Last time a four-day Test was hosted, which was between New Zealand and Pakistan in Auckland.