Zimbabwe down Kiwis in stunning chase

The record-breaking deeds of centurion Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson weren't enough to prevent New Zealand crashing to a seven-wicket loss to Zimbabwe in the first one-day international in Harare.

The world-class Black Caps pair were at the heart of an imposing 4-303 after the tourists were asked to bat but they couldn't stop Craig Ervine smashing an unbeaten 130 from 108 balls to steer Zimbabwe home with an over to spare.

It was a maiden century for 29-year-old left-hander Ervine, whose previous best score in his 32-match ODI career was 85.

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He was the junior partner in a 120-run second-wicket stand with opener Hamilton Masakadza (84) before taking control over the last 15 overs, when his team needed to score at eight runs per over. He struck 11 fours and five sixes.

The hosts posted 3-304 off 49 overs, just the second time the 11th-ranked nation have chased a score in excess of 300.

World No.3 New Zealand were without new ball spearheads Trent Boult and Tim Southee and they struggled to make an impact on the flat surface.

Spinner Nathan McCullum took all three wickets, finishing with 3-62, while the rest of the attack were comfortably milked for runs. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi conceded 0-65 off 10 overs.

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Earlier, Taylor and Williamson continued their remarkable batting relationship with a record 10th century stand for the Black Caps after openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham fell cheaply.

Taylor scored an unbeaten 112 off 122 balls and Williamson 97 off 102 as they added 137 for the third wicket untroubled.

Williamson fell in the 90s for the fifth time, denied an eighth ODI century when he played-on to seamer Tinashe Panyangara (2-50).

After taking 89 balls to score his first 50, Taylor accelerated to a 15th ODI ton, one short of the national record held by Nathan Astle.

It was their fourth-straight century stand, leading into a lively 43 off 32 balls from Grant Elliott.

Williamson, standing in as skipper for the unavailable Brendon McCullum on their tour of Africa, believed New Zealand's score was very competitive.

"I thought it was a good (batting) effort. They outplayed us in all areas though, so full credit to them," he said.

"We weren't at our best either. It isn't a train wreck and we weren't far off, maybe struggled a bit with the ball."

Counterpart Elton Chigumbura says the result will be an enormous fillip for Zimbabwe and provides proof they are competitive with the leading ODI nations.

New Zealand chose to omit batsmen George Worker and Colin Munro, along with pacemen Adam Milne and Ben Wheeler but may consider changes ahead of the second game at the same venue on Tuesday.

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