Proteas hammer Zimbabwe

ASSOCIATED PRESS

HAMBANTOTA: Jacques Kallis produced the best economical bowling performance by a South African in the 20-over format with 4-15 as the Proteas hammered Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the World Twenty20 on Thursday.

The defeat eliminated Zimbabwe from the tournament in Group C after it also lost the first match by 82 runs against Sri Lanka.

Kallis led the seam attack and restricted Zimbabwe to 93-8 and South Africa openers Richard Levi (50) and Hashim Amla (32) eased to 94-0 in only 12.4 overs.

South Africa will meet Sri Lanka in the last Group C match on Saturday with both teams already qualified for the Super Eights.

Earlier, Kallis took 4-15 to help restrict Zimbabwe to belwo 100. Kallis got rid of Stuart Matsikenyeri (11) and Elton Chigumbura (0) with successive deliveries and returned to have Graeme Cremer and top-scorer Craig Ervine (37) caught behind.

Ervine hit four of the six boundaries in Zimbabwe innings as all the South African seamers got appreciable bounce and pace. Morkel brothers Morne and Albie caused the early damage after South Africa won the toss and opted to field first.

The pair reduced Zimbabwe to 16-3 before Kallis bowled a double-wicket maiden over. Only Ervine put up any resistance and shared a 35-run, fourth-wicket stand with Matsikenyeri before Kallis broke through with his twin strikes.

Morne clean bowled Visu Sibanda off his fourth delivery and then had captain Brendan Taylor caught behind in the next over -- one of the four catches for South African skipper and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers.

Zimbabwe were 51-3 midway through the innings before Kallis further inflicted further suffering -- taking two more wickets without the African side adding to their total.

Dale Steyn was also rewarded for his pace bowling (1-9) when he had Prosper Utseya caught behind in his last over.

It was Zimbabwe's second lowest ever score in Twenty20s -- surpassing their total of 84 against New Zealand at Guyana a the 2010 World Twenty20.