South African cricket team in Zimbabwe 2007 - 1st ODI

South Africa has won the first One-Day International of the series against Zimbabwe by five wickets at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat first. However they slumped to 72-7 in the 24th over. Vernon Philander took two wickets in two balls and some poor running decisions led to five run outs in the whole innings. Elton Chigumbura and Gary Brent fought back for Zimbabwe with a partnership of 115 runs, with Chigumbura being run out for 59 runs and Brent finishing on 59 not out. The pair recovered Zimbabwe's innings which finished at 206 all out after fifty overs.

South Africa suffered an early blow when opening batsman Loots Bosman was dismissed in the first over, but captain Graeme Smith and ODI debutant Gulam Bodi added 72 runs together, followed by a partnership of 74 runs from Bodi and A B de Villiers. Smith (50 runs), Bodi (51) and de Villiers (63) all made half centuries, and South Africa comfortably reached the target with nineteen balls remaining.

The second ODI will be held at Harare Sports Club, Harare on August 25, with the final ODI the day afterwards. South Africa lead the series 1-0. The tour comes two weeks before the start of the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship, which will be held in South Africa.

Toss: Zimbabwe won, and chose to bat first

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Sibanda, 4.6 ov), 2-28 (Masakadza, 9.3 ov), 3-68 (Taibu, 18.6 ov), 4-71 (Williams, 21.4 ov), 5-71 (Matsikenyeri, 21.5 ov), 6-72 (Taylor, 22.5 ov), 7-72 (Utseya, 23.5 ov), 8-187 (Chigumbura, 47.5 ov), 9-196 (Maruma, 49.2 ov), 10-206 (Mpofu, 49.6 ov)

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Bosman, 0.4 ov), 2-73 (Smith, 17.5 ov), 3-147 (Bodi, 35.1 ov), 4-155 (Duminy, 37.4 ov), 5-190 (de Villiers, 44.1 ov)

Did not bat: J J van der Wath, M Morkel, M Ntini, T Tshabalala

Zimbabwe: V Sibanda, H Masakadza, B R M Taylor, T Taibu (wkt), S C Williams, S Matsikenyeri, E Chigumbura, P Utseya (capt), G B Brent, T Maruma, C B Mpofu

South Africa: G C Smith (capt), L L Bosman, G H Bodi, A B de Villiers (wkt), J P Duminy, S M Pollock, V D Philander, J J van der Wath, M Morkel, M Ntini, T Tshabalala

South African cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2007

ODI debut: G H Bodi (South Africa) and T Maruma (Zimbabwe)

Man of the match: G B Brent (Zimbabwe)

Umpires: S J Davis (Australia) and R B Tiffin

TV umpire: I D Robinson

Match referee: J Srinath (India)