ZIM vs SA 2025 First Test, Day 2: Proteas maintain dominance despite Sean Williams' dynamic ton

South Africa ended Day 2 of the first Test against Zimbabwe on 49/1 at the end of the 13 overs. They lead by 216 runs and will look to capitalise on their start come the third day at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Codi Yusuf started off proceedings with the new ball after the Proteas had made an overnight declaration after having registered 418 for the loss of nine wickets. Codi struck on the fourth ball of his Test debut by dismissing Takudzwanashe Kaitano for a golden duck. Of the 23 runs scored by Zimbabwe in the first four overs, Brian Bennett had scored 19 of them.

Another example of good pace and extra bounce off the deck brought about Codi's second wicket in the form of Nick Welch (4 off 5) on the first ball of his third over. A failed hook shot off a nasty bouncer by Kwena Maphaka hit Bennett flush on the helmet on the final ball of the sixth over. The 21-year-old walked off the field, retired hurt after stroking his fourth boundary of the morning.

Maphaka was replaced by Wiaan Mulder after the former's five overs cost 30 runs. Mulder kept things tight in the first four overs he bowled, conceding only eight runs in total. Craig Ervine crossed double digits with a cut shot which raced away for a boundary on his 44th delivery. Keshav Maharaj was integrated into the mix in the 22nd over of the innings. Zimbabwe did not lose any more wickets as they headed into Lunch at 94/2 in 27 overs.

During the Lunch break, an official release from Zimbabwe Cricket was published which stated that Bennett would no longer play a part in the ongoing game after being diagnosed with a mild concussion. His place would be taken by Prince Masvaure. Sean Williams got to his fifty on the fourth over of the second session. Maharaj claimed his 200th Test wicket, the first by a South African spinner in Tests, by getting Craig Ervine (36 off 90) stumped.

Williams ton narrows Zimbabwean trail

The first maximum of the Zimbabwean innings came off the bat of Wessly Madhevere not long after. Mulder replaced Corbin Bosch, one of the two centurions from South Africa's first innings, at the end of 38 overs in order to produce a wicket. At one end, Williams looked quite secure. A nip-backer from him did just that in his third over of being brought on. Masvaure, the concussion substitute, nearly chopped on while facing his first ball.

Maharaj was almost successful in affecting the dismissal of Williams while he was four short of his ton. The tossed up delivery was intended to be played over the long-on fence. However, Williams dragged it well short of the fielder on the boundary. A pull off a short ball on the second ball of the subsequent over brought up Williams' ton, his sixth in red-ball internationals. Those in the balcony of the home team stood up and applauded the fine knock.

The remainder of Mulder's 10th over was quite an eventful one. The delivery after Williams rotated strike to get to his hundred, Masvaure poked at a length ball outside the off stump to be dismissed after scoring seven off nine. The next two balls were outside-edged by wicketkeeper-batter, Tafadzwa Tsiga, for a couple of boundaries past the slip cordon.

Tsiga's time in the middle did not last long, though. A leading edge while trying to flick a ball on middle and off produced a straightforward catch to Codi at backward point. Williams and Wellington Masakadza survived a nervous few overs before going into the Tea break six down. The hosts were still 206 runs away from overturning the deficit.

It took only six balls for the seventh wicket to fall. Codi had Masakadza (4 off 23) caught behind. With three wickets left to be taken, a five-wicket was well on the cards for the right-arm medium pacer. The replacement of Maphaka with Bosch almost led to Williams departing. There were a few quiet overs before Vincent Masekesa registered his first boundary off his 40th ball.

Just two balls later, Maharaj struck with the big blow of Williams. It was the second time in the day that he was successful in dismissing a left-handed batter by getting him stumped. The 38-year-old Williams, who had scored 55% of the score Zimbabwe had posted by that time, walked back quite disappointed after piling up 137 off 164. It was only a matter of time before South Africa's second innings would commence.

Proteas keep things tight

Mulder and Maharaj dismissed Blessing Muzarabani and Tanaka Chivanga for eight and three-ball ducks in the 67th and 68th over of the innings, respectively. Codi (3/42 in 14 overs), Mulder (4/50 in three overs), and Maharaj (3/70 in 16.4 overs) shared all the wickets amongst each other. Maphaka and Bosch bowled well as well, but were unable to make a change to the wickets' column.

Chivanga, who was coming off a four-fer in the first innings, struck right away to have South Africa one down in the second over. Matthew Breetzke, who had scored only 13 in the first innings, departed for one in the second. Meanwhile, Tony de Zorzi, who was on a pair after copping a 16-ball duck in the first innings, was off the mark on the first ball of the third over.

De Zorzi grew in confidence after hitting his first couple of boundaries off Chivanga's third over. The first bowling change was when Masakadza was brought on at the end of the seventh over. Play ended up 5:15 local time, 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time at which Stumps would've taken, due to bad light. By that time, de Zorzi (22* off 25) and Mulder (25* off 47) had already entered their twenties. The play will now begin tomorrow with the Proteas ahead by 216 runs.