MATCH 3: David Miller and JP Duminy scored centuries as South Africa overcame Zimbabwe by 62-runs at Seddon Park on Sunday.
It will be of concern to the Proteas’ camp that of the three favourites for the tournament their passage to an opening victory was tougher than Australia and New Zealand’s wins, however credit goes to a fighting Zimbabwe side. South Africa may well benefit longer term for not being given an easy ride.
Put into bat, South Africa found themselves 83 for four midway through the 21st over, but Miller and Duminy then took the game away from Zimbabwe.

Player of the Match: David Miller made an unbeaten 138
They added 256 runs in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership – the highest ever for the fifth wicket in One-Day Internationals beating Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara’s stand of 226 against Ireland in 2013.
Miller scored 138 from 92 balls with 7 fours and 9 sixes hits over the fence while Duminy played around him, ending on 115 from 100 balls with 9 fours and 3 maximums.
It had taken the South Africans 24.1 overs to bring up the 100 runs and 40.2 overs to pass 200, but Miller and Duminy sailed 300 from inside 48 overs after Miller took 30 runs from Solomon Mire’s 48th over of the innings.
Quinton de Kock (7), Hashim Amla (11), Faf du Plessis (24) and de Villiers (25) had found the early going tough against a disciplined Zimbabwean bowling attack.
Chamu Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza made 64 and 80 respectively to give Zimbabwe hope of a successful run chase. Zimbabwe reached 214 for four from 36 overs, but slipped to 277 all out.
Chibhabha and Masakadza had added 105 for the second wicket to raise Zimbabwe’s hopes. Brendan Taylor made a run-a-ball 40, but the lower-middle order was unable to capitalise on the sturdy base. For Zimbabwe, there would be no repeat of their win in the 1999 World Cup.
Steyn went for 64 runs from nine overs and grabbed one wicket, while Morkel was belted for 49 from 8.2 overs. Imran Tahir was the most successful bowler for South Africa. The spinner took three wickets for 36 runs from his 10 overs.
“I am pretty happy with the start, they did really well and put us under pressure from the word go but it was a great knock between David and JP,” said AB de Villiers after the match. “They batted very well but lost their way halfway through when our bowlers put the pressure on.
“We love the pressure, the big moments and the situations and that’s why we love this game.”
“I thought our opening bowlers gave us the start we needed but at the end we went for too many,” conceded Elton Chigumbura, the Zimbabwean skipper. “The way they hit at the end was amazing and we paid the price for not taking wickets in the middle.
“We lost wickets at the wrong time when chasing, we had the game in hand but at the end of the day we put ourselves under pressure. I am happy with our performance today so it’s a good sign for the games to come.”
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
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This year India will definitely defeat the South Africa.
In world cup 2011, India are very close to winning the match, but this year. India have chances to win the match.
this year South Africa will clinch the world cup !