Morkel rampant as Proteas continue to dominate Zimbabwe at tea

Zimbabwe were fighting to stave off an innings defeat as they took tea on 36 without loss in their follow-on on the second day of their day-night test against South Africa at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

Port Elizabeth: Zimbabwe were fighting to stave off an innings defeat as they took tea on 36 without loss in their follow-on on the second day of their day-night test against South Africa at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.

Morne Morkel finished with five first innings wickets as it took only 68 minutes on Wednesday for Zimbabwe to be bowled out for 68 in their first innings.

That left them 241 runs adrift of the Proteas’ first innings total of 309 and South African captain AB de Villiers promptly asked them to bat again.

Disaster struck early as Hamilton Masakadza was hit on the elbow by Morkel and forced to retire hurt and Craig Irvine and Chamu Chibhabha continue challenge after tea.

The tourists resumed at 30 for four after having been bullied into submission by a fired-up Morkel in the opening evening session on Tuesday.

There was no respite in the first session on day two as the South African attack‚ spearheaded again by the lanky fast bowler just kept on coming.

Morkel’s first ball around the wicket for the day was a thing of beauty and struck the top of Ryan Burl’s (16) off-stump.

Sikander Raza was next in and the second ball he faced was a nasty rising delivery that cannoned into his shoulder.

Two balls later he looked relieved to be on his bike‚ giving Morkel his fifth wicket of the innings.

It was Morkel’s first five-for in five years with the last coming against Australia in Adelaide in November 2012.

Much to the relief of Zimbabwe‚ Morkel took a break and Andile Phehlukwayo took over from the Park Drive End.

But the change brought about immediate success as the strapping seamer removed nightwatchman Kyle Jarvis who was caught behind by AB de Villiers.

Jarvis ended as the innings’ top scorer with 23.

Kagiso Rabada then got in on the act when he straightened a delivery to find the outside edge of Graeme Cremer’s bat through to De Villiers.

Phehlukwayo got his second in the next over when he bowled Peter Moor and Rabada then completed the rout having Chris Mpofu caught at gully.