South Africa v Zimbabwe

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 272 runs on Friday to record their biggest ever victory in one-day internationals.

AB de Villiers (109) and JP Duminy (a career-best 129) also put together a record third-wicket stand of 219 in Benoni, as the hosts sealed a 3-0 series sweep.

Chasing 400 for victory, the visitors were always struggling as Juan Theron claimed three for 18 and Albie Morkel, Johan Botha and Wayne Parnell took two wickets each.

Zimbabwe were in the end reduced to 127 all out in just 29 overs, with Tatenda Taibu top-scoring with 28.

The Proteas' win eclipses their previous best winning margin of 221 runs, set against the Netherlands in 2007, and falls not far short of New Zealand's world record, set when they beat Ireland by 290 runs two years ago.

With the series already secure, Botha and Morkel were both added to Graeme Smith's side with Charl Langeveldt and Robin Peterson making way.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, included Hamilton Masakadza and Ian Nicolson ahead of Grant Flower and Sean Williams.

Aggressive

Smith and Hashim Amla made an aggressive start, putting on 49 runs in the first five overs before the introduction of spinner Prosper Utseya tempted the skipper down the wicket to be stumped by Taibu for 26.

Amla (24) then edged Shingirai Masakadza's delivery to the wicketkeeper to make it 59 for two, but from there on in Duminy and de Villiers dominated.

Taking their side past 100 in the 16th over, the pair put on the 100 stand in 102 balls with their own half-centuries coming in 50 and 54 balls respectively.

They then took South Africa to 199 after 30 overs, with de Villiers reaching three figures for the second time in as many matches in the 36th over.

He had faced just 91 balls and hit five fours and four sixes.

Duminy had made his ton two overs later before he lost his partner - de Villiers being caught at deep mid-wicket by Shingirai Masakadza off the bowling of brother Hamilton.

Morkel joined Duminy and the 300 was raised in the 42nd over before the latter miscued Nicolson to Keith Dabengwa.

With Colin Ingram (20) and David Miller (33 not out) also chipping in, Morkel (37) took South Africa on to an imposing 399 for six, their third highest score in 50-over cricket.

Broken

Unlike in the first two matches, Zimbabwe's opening partnership was broken early with Brendan Taylor (five) caught by Theron on the third-man fence off the bowling of Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Nine for one became 18 for two when Hamilton Masakadza (five) mistimed Morkel, also to Theron, before the same bowler dismissed Chamu Chibhabha (16) for his 50th ODI wicket - Amla taking a fine diving catch at mid-off.

Taibu and Craig Ervine put together a 47-run stand but their resistance came to an end just as soon as Botha was introduced in the 16th over.

He bowled Taibu (28) with his first ball and with the final one of the over did the same to Ervine (24).

That left Zimbabwe on 80 for five and it was subsequently downhill all the way for South Africa, with captain Elton Chigumbura (one) removed by Theron and Parnell cleaning up the tail.

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