Harare: Craig Ervine struck a powerful maiden century to lead Zimbabwe to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first one-day international at the Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Ervine scored 130 not out off 108 balls as Zimbabwe made 304 for three, reaching their target with five balls to spare.
Ervine struck five sixes and 11 fours in a cavalier innings to secure a rare Zimbabwe victory which gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
New Zealand, playing without several regulars who led them to the World Cup final this year, scored 115 runs in the last 10 overs to push their score to 303 for four off 50 overs.
Ross Taylor made 112 not out and stand-in captain Kane Williamson, deputising for Brendon McCullum, was bowled for 97.
Grant Elliott added a cameo 43 off 32 balls to remind the Kiwis of his exploits at the World Cup in March.
Zimbabwe replied with a solid foundation of 87 for the first wicket but looked to be facing the possibility of another late meltdown when Hamilton Masakadza was the second wicket to fall at 194 with 15 overs left.
Masakadza scored 84 before being caught behind off a thin outside edge.
But Ervine proved steady amid the tension of the chase and, with support from skipper Elton Chigumbura (36), took his country to only their third ODI win in 15 games this year.
The winning run came off a wide from Nathan McCullum at the start of the last over with Zimbabwe having tied the scores at the end of the 49th.
The remaining ODIs are also in Harare on tomorrow and Friday.
Earlier, Taylor and Williamson continued their record-breaking run of form to effortlessly guide New Zealand to a formidable score.
The pair added 137 for the third wicket - their fourth consecutive century stand in ODIs.
It was Taylor’s third ODI hundred in five matches and his 15th overall, and although Williamson missed out on an eighth ODI century, his controlled innings was his fifth straight score above fifty in the format.
Williamson has now scored 1,134 ODI runs in 2015 - the most by a New Zealand batsman in a calendar year - and sits top of the ODI run-scoring charts this year.
Taylor is second on the list for 2015 with 1,041 runs, having helped himself to 59 runs in the final 10 overs as New Zealand moved from 188 for three to their final score.
Zimbabwe started well enough, removing New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham in the opening 10 overs, but their inability to make further breakthroughs left them exposed.
After Williamson and Taylor had recorded their 10th century stand in ODIs - the most by a New Zealand pair - Grant Elliott added 43 from just 32 deliveries.