South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Dale Steyn's batting heroics on return help hosts register big win in 2nd ODI

Bloemfontein: Dale Steyn shone with the bat on his return to one-day international cricket on Wednesday, helping South Africa avoid humiliation in the second one-day international against Zimbabwe at the Mangaung Oval. Steyn top-scored with a career-best 60 in a South African total of 198. [caption id=“attachment_5314791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Dale Steyn top-scored for South Africa with a career-best 60. AFP[/caption] The veteran fast bowler came in to bat with South Africa reeling at 101 for seven. He and Andile Phehlukwayo (28) added 75 for the eighth wicket, a record for South Africa against Zimbabwe, and Steyn went on to take the hosts past their all-time low of 185 against the neighbouring country. “It’s nice to get us out of a precarious situation,” Steyn told SuperSport television as he left the field after he was last man out. “I thought 200-220 would have been a nice score, when Andy and I were batting. We planned on batting five overs at a time. 198, we have to take it. We’re there or thereabouts but we’re going to have to bowl well.” Playing in his first one-day international in two years, Steyn hit eight fours and a six in an 85-ball innings. His previous one-day international score was 35 against India in Jaipur in 2009/10. Opening bowlers Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara put an inexperienced South African batting line-up under early pressure, taking a wicket apiece inside the first 13 deliveries of the innings. Jarvis finished with two for 26 and Chatara took three for 42. Seamer Donald Tiripano and leg-spinner Brandon Mavuta took two wickets each. South Africa have won 28 matches in a row against Zimbabwe since losing in Durban in 1999/2000.