/ 23 August 2007

SA cricketers beat Zimbabwe in Bulawayo

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the first one-day international at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe posted 206 all out from their regulation 50 overs, but South Africa reached that target with 19 balls to spare and five wickets in hand.

South African captain Graeme Smith (50), Gulam Bodi (51) and AB de Villiers (63) all scored half-centuries after Loots Bosman was dismissed in the first over by Christopher Mpofu.

Zimbabwe had earlier collapsed to a calamitous 72-7 but recovered to post 206, thanks to 59 runs apiece from Elton Chigumbura and man-of-the-match Gary Brent.

Their innings was marked by some reckless running between the wickets that contributed to five of their dismissals. — Sapa-AFP