ZIM vs SA 2025, Day 5: Bosch, Muthusamy skittle Zimbabwe out to claim massive innings win after Mulder's heroics

South Africa won the second Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe by an innings and 236 runs at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. With this, they claimed a 0–2 series win, having already clinched a victory the first game at the same venue by a mammoth 328-run margin.

The visitors started off the third day of the series quite well with the ball. Zimbabwe, resuming Day 3 on an overnight score of 51/1 in 16 overs, managed to score only 13 runs in their first seven overs of the day. Codi Yusuf, in particular, looked quite threatening as he spearheaded the Proteas pace attack. The first wicket of the evening came via Senuran Muthusamy, who struck in his very first over of the innings. Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who was looking all set for his second Test fifty, had to walk back for 40 off 76.

The left-arm spin of Muthusamy was almost going to produce another wicket on the first ball of his third over. However, David Bedingham at backward point put down an opportunity which resulted in a couple of runs being scored. It was the same over in which Nick Welch hit the first six of the hosts' innings. Sean Williams, who had battled single-handedly in the first innings, was dismissed for only 11 courtesy of a Wiaan Mulder delivery.

There was not a lot of action from that point up until Lunch was called. Nick Welch, who had a series to forget by scoring only 14 runs in the previous three innings, brought up his half-century three overs prior to the conclusion of the morning session. However, he could not really add up anything significant after the break. Welch (55 off 126) was dismissed by Muthusamy, with the visiting captain hardly having to move at first slip.

Muthusamy could have had his third wicket of the innings in the form of Wessly Madhevere had the substitute fielder Zubayr Hamza held onto a tough opportunity at mid-on. Hamza did not really have to regret the missed chance, as Madhevere was pinned right in front in the very next over. Out came wicketkeeper-batter Tafadzwa Tsiga after Zimbabwe had lost their fifth wicket.

Test debutant Lesego Senokwane, who was dismissed for a 36-ball three early on on the first day's play, had something to celebrate after holding onto a catch at short midwicket to dismiss Tsiga for just a single run in the 20 deliveries he had faced. At the end of that particular over, Zimbabwe's 59th, Craig Ervine was four short of his fifty. Five overs passed after that, with Ervine still stuck on 49.

The Zimbabwean skipper had to depart one shy of his fifty post facing 49 deliveries, after Corbin Bosch, who had struck with the only Zimbabwean batter to fall on Day 2, got him caught off the keeper. The bowler struck omnce again after three more balls, as it resulted in Kundai Matigimu's dismissal. The off stump was sent cartwheeling, with the Proteas only a couple of wickets away from the win.

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Bosch's fourth wicket was in the form of Blessing Muzarabani, who departed for an 11-ball duck. Senokwane took his second catch of the match, this time at third slip. The final-wicket stand between Wellington Masakadza (17* off 62) and Tanaka Chivanga (22 off 26) hung around for a bit and added 36 to the scoreboard before the latter was gotten rid by Muthusamy on the third ball of the 78th over.