Donald wraps it up for S Africa

Zimbabwe 170 and 283 South Africa 346 and 108-3 South Africa win by 7 wickets

Superb fast bowling by Allan Donald and determined batting from Hansie Cronje guided South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe with a day-and-a-half to spare of their one-off Test in Harare.

Donald produced the fifth-best bowling figures in South African Test history, snapping up the last two wickets in the first 17 minutes on the fourth day to help dismiss Zimbabwe for 283 in their second innings.

Donald finished with 8 for 71 to complete a match analysis of 11 for 113. Only Hugh Tayfield (twice), Sibley Snooke and "Goofy" Lawrence have produced better figures for South Africa in a Test innings.

Donald said: "I don't think I've ever bowled as well as that, particularly on this sort of flat wicket. "I felt very tired and a bit depressed when I came back from England after winning the championship with Warwickshire. I really wasn't well for a week or so, but I got over it and now I'm raring to go again.

"Taking 11 wickets in the first Test of the summer has set things up beautifully for the England series. We all know that the five Tests will be very, very tough, but we're also looking forward to them immensely."

Cronje settled a brief crisis in the pursuit of the 108 runs South Africa needed for victory with an unbeaten 56 after three wickets had fallen for 48 runs. The victory was South Africa's fifth in consecutive Tests, which equals their most successful run.

(Fourth day; Zimbabwe won toss)

ZIMBABWE - First Innings 170 (H H Streak 53; B N Schultz 4-54, A A Donald 3-42).

SOUTH AFRICA - First Innings 346 (A C Hudson 135, B M McMillan 98; B Strang 5-101).

ZIMBABWE - Second Innings

(Overnight 272 for 8)

P A Strang c Richardson b Donald 37

B Strang not out 25

C Lock b Donald 0

Extras (lb10 nb9 w1) 20

Total (104 overs) 283

Fall: 1-13 2-64 3-71 4-102 5-199 6-206 7-231 8-231 9-279.

Bowling: Donald 33-12-71-8; Schultz 24-7-72-1; Symcox 11-3-22-0; Matthews 20-7-52-0; McMillan 15-3-53-1; Cronje 1-0-3-0.

SOUTH AFRICA - Second Innings

G Kirsten c A Flower b Lock 13

A C Hudson c B Strang b Lock 4

*W J Cronje not out 56

J N Rhodes b Streak 6

B M McMillan not out 25

Extras (lb2 w2) 4

Total (for 3, 38 overs) 108

Fall: 1-6 2-36 3-48.

Bowling: Streak 9-2-24-1; Lock 13-1-37-2; B Strang 12-6-18-0; P Strang 4-0-27-0.

n Brian Lara struck a one-day career-best 169 out of 333 for 7 but the West Indies were made to fight for a four-run victory in their Champions' Trophy match in Sharjah yesterday. Hashan Tillakaratne made 100 for Sri Lanka, who recovered from 103 for 5 only to be bowled out for 329 with three balls remaining.

CHAMPIONS' TROPHY (Sharjah, UAE): West Indies 333 for 7 (50 overs; B C Lara 169, S Chanderpaul 62no); Sri Lanka 329 (49.3 overs; R S Mahanama 76, H P Tillekeratne 100). West Indies won by four runs.