South Africa fought back in a low-scoring encounter at Port Elizabeth to ensure that they will contest the tri-series final next week.

Wednesday's England versus Zimbabwe match is now effectively a semi-final, to decide who the hosts face in the deciding match of the tournament.

Zimbabwe looked to have given themselves every chance of winning this match by reducing the hosts to just over 200 runs, 98 of them from the unbeaten Jacques Kallis.

But the away side's innings showed what a relatively good total that had been on a pitch which proved difficult to score on throughout.

Shaun Pollock's bowling efforts set the visitors' off on the wrong foot, with the South African delivering a spell of three for seven off eight overs, four of them maidens.

Grant Flower was caught by Leon Koen off his first ball faces, Craig Wishart went bowled for 0 and Alistair Campbell was caught behind the wicket as Pollock produced a devestating spell.

That left Zimbabwe floundering at 25 for three and they never really recovered as the hosts continued to bowl and field tightly.

Murray Goodwin was trapped lbw playing across the line to South African skipper Hansie Cronje.

Only Neil Johnson, with 56, provided any real hope, and he was caught superbly in the deep by Cronje off Lance Klusener.

That left Zimbabwe 97 for five and needing almost a run a ball at that stage.

Andy Flower made 37 but was run out in the narrowest of television replay decisions, with his bat just over the line but not properly grounded at the point of impact.

After that the innings stalled, with no realistic chance of Zimbabwe making the target, and they eventually ended well short as Henry Williams took two late wickets.

Kallis holds SA together

South Africa were grateful for Kallis for carrying their innings, with only Klusener's 29 providing any real support in a 48-run stand.

The home side started badly as Herschelle Gibbs was run out for 11 before Koen was bowled by Henry Olonga for 13.

Neil McKenzie and Cronje both fell to Gary Brent who then caught Jonty Rhodes trying to hook Staurt Carlisle over square leg.

At that stage South Africa were 106 for five and rciking, but Kallis and Klusener batted steadily until the big-hitting batsman was run out.

The two all-rounders simply could not score quickly and the hosts did not hit a boundary between the 18th and 48th overs.

However a late flurry from Kallis, including a six off the final ball of the innings made sure that their totla was more than enough for victory.

Triangular Tournament: South Africa v Zimbabwe
6 Feb 00 at Port Elizabeth

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 53 runs

Scorecard correct at 15:38 GMT 15:38 UK

Zimbabwe innings 151 all out (46overs)
South Africa innings 204 for 7 (50overs) , overs completed

Zimbabwe innings

Batsman			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
NC Johnson	c Cronje	b Klusener	56	82	7	-
GW Flower	c Koen	b Pollock	0	1	-	-
CB Wishart		b Pollock	0	14	-	-
ADR Campbell	c Boucher	b Pollock	4	22	-	-
MW Goodwin	lbw	b Cronje	7	30	-	-
A Flower		run out	37	55	2	-
SV Carlisle		b Williams	17	44	1	-
GJ Whittall	c Koen	b Klusener	12	12	2	-
HH Streak	c Klusener	b Cronje	4	11	-	-
GB Brent		not out	2	3	-	-
HK Olonga		b Williams	0	3	-	-
Extras	1b 3lb 7w 1nb		12
TOTAL:	46 overs		151

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (1 Flower, 1 mins), 2-9 (8 Wishart, 16 mins), 3-25 (16 Campbell, 21 mins), 4-52 (27 Goodwin, 36 mins), 5-97 (45 Johnson, 48 mins), 6-120 (23 Flower, 29 mins), 7-135 (15 Whittall, 12 mins), 8-148 (13 Streak, 13 mins), 9-151 (3 Carlisle, 16 mins), 10-151 (0 Olonga, 1 mins)

Bowler	O	M	R	W
S M Pollock	8	4	7	3
J H Kallis	8	2	26	0
H S Williams	10	1	30	2
W J Cronje	7	0	28	2
N Boje	3	0	19	0
L Klusener	10	0	37	2

South Africa innings

Batsman			Runs	Balls	4s	6s
HH Gibbs		run out	11	18	1	-
LJ Koen		b Olonga	13	25	2	-
JH Kallis		not out	98	132	6	1
ND McKenzie	c Goodwin	b Brent	6	18	-	-
WJ Cronje	c Carlisle	b Brent	13	35	-	-
JN Rhodes	c Brent	b Whittall	3	7	-	-
L Klusener		run out	29	53	-	-
SM Pollock		b Streak	8	10	1	-
MV Boucher		not out	6	5	1	-
Extras	1b 3lb 10w 3nb		17
TOTAL:	7 wkts, 50 overs		204

Fall of wickets: 1-23 (23 Gibbs, 24 mins), 2-37 (14 Koen, 11 mins), 3-66 (29 McKenzie, 28 mins), 4-97 (31 Cronje, 35 mins), 5-106 (9 Rhodes, 6 mins), 6-164 (58 Klusener, 63 mins), 7-188 (24 Pollock, 11 mins) Did not bat: N Boje, H S Williams

Bowler	O	M	R	W
H K Olonga	7	0	43	1
N C Johnson	8	0	33	0
G B Brent	10	0	48	2
H H Streak	8	0	21	1
G J Whittall	9	0	34	1
G W Flower	8	0	21	0

South Africa won the toss and decided to bat

Umpires: D F Becker, R E Koertzen

South Africa
H H Gibbs , L J Koen , J H Kallis , N D McKenzie , W J Cronje (capt) , J N Rhodes , L Klusener , S M Pollock , M V Boucher (wkt) , N Boje , H S Williams ,

Zimbabwe
N C Johnson , G W Flower , C B Wishart , A D R Campbell , M W Goodwin , A Flower (capt) (wkt) , S V Carlisle , G J Whittall , H H Streak , G B Brent , H K Olonga ,