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The first ODI between Zimbabwe and the West Indies took place at Providence Stadium in Guyana today, with Zimbabwe claiming another upset win against a West Indies side that just don't seem to know how to deal with them. Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat on a pitch that some had pegged as a batting track - although it soon became clear that it was behaving similarly to the Trinidad pitch on Sunday. Good news for Zimbabwe, then - and with the side's batsmen finally finding some form, a few determined efforts saw Zimbabwe reach an impressive 254/5 from their 50 overs, with only a 15-minute rain-break spoiling the fun. Vusi Sibanda, whose international form has come in for a lot of criticism of late, remained at the crease for most of the innings, amassing an impressive 95 and surviving a number of unusual happenings - although his eventual dismissal was the most bizarre of all, with Kemar Roach choosing the direct route to bowl him out: directly through his bat, which was broken in the process. Despite Sibanda's high total, though, it was arguably Hamilton Masakadza (41) and Tatenda Taibu (56) that were the impressive performers on the day, playing Sibanda's agressive partners and keeping the score ticking over while Sibanda adopted a much slower approach. Kieran Pollard led the West Indies bowling figures with 2/59.

That left the West Indies need 255 to win - a target that it was thought would prove too much on a low & slow pitch. The start of the Windies innings was delayed by another rain shower, but once play got under way openers Chris Gayle (57) and Adrian Barath (50) set about chasing it down - the pair put on 99 for the first wicket, keeping their side in touch with the required rate, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued the good work after Gayle's departure. Barath followed shortly thereafter with the score on 126/2, and from there the momentum began to shift in Zimbabwe's favour, as Chanderpaul was unable to find a steady partner and Zimbabwe continued to take regular wickets. Chanderpaul's efforts were almost enough, though, especially after Zimbabwe's spinners ran out of overs. With 5 overs remaining, West Indies required 52 runs to win, a target that most Zim fans watching thought would be out of reach - but as Price and Utseya came to the end of their spells, Elton Chigumbura and Shingi Masakadza came into the attack - and suddenly things didn't look quite so rosy. Shingi did get the scalp of Chanderpaul (70), but with the Windies needing 15 off the final over, he was the man handed the responsibility of seeing out the match - on his ODI debut - and was smashed for 10 off the first two balls of the over. Left with the Windies needing 4 runs from the final three balls, though, he redeemed himself in dramatic style, taking the wickets of Dwayne Smith (4) and Sulieman Benn (0) with the next two balls - and when Kemar Roach could only manage a single off the final ball, it was all over and Zimbabwe were on their way to their target of a winning the series. As for the Windies, it couldn't get any worse from here - could it? Zimbabwe will be hoping that it can, come the 2nd ODI on Saturday. Full scorecard below the cut.
Zimbabwe 254/5 (50 overs; Sibanda 95, Pollard 2/59), West Indies 252/9 (50 overs; Chanderpaul 70, S Masakadza 3/36). Zimbabwe win by 2 runs.

Zimbabwe innings (50 overs maximum)  	
                                                R  	B  	4s  	6s  	SR  	
H Masakadza 	lbw b Miller 	                41 	45 	6 	0 	91.11 	
V Sibanda 	b Roach 	                95 	162 	5 	1 	58.64 	
T Taibu† 	lbw b Pollard 	                56 	54 	5 	0 	103.70 	
BRM Taylor 	run out (Pollard) 	        1 	2 	0 	0 	50.00 	
E Chigumbura 	c Fletcher b Pollard 	        27 	22 	1 	1 	122.72 	
S Matsikenyeri 	not out 	                16 	14 	2 	0 	114.28 	
GA Lamb 	not out 	                2 	3 	0 	0 	66.66 	
	Extras 	(b 4, lb 2, w 7, nb 3) 	        16 					
	Total 	(5 wickets; 50 overs) 	        254 	(5.08 runs per over)

Did not bat: AG Cremer, P Utseya*, SW Masakadza, RW Price

Fall of wickets: 1-67 (H Masakadza, 18.4 ov), 2-167 (Taibu, 37.1 ov), 3-168 (Taylor, 37.5 ov), 
4-215 (Chigumbura, 45.4 ov), 5-241 (Sibanda, 48.3 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 		
KAJ Roach 	9 	0 	34 	1 	3.77 	(1nb) 	
SJ Benn 	10 	4 	38 	0 	3.80 		
DR Smith 	3 	0 	18 	0 	6.00 		
KA Pollard 	10 	0 	59 	2 	5.90 	(4w) 	
NO Miller 	10 	1 	52 	1 	5.20 	(1w) 	
N Deonarine 	8 	0 	47 	0 	5.87 	(1nb)


West Indies innings (target: 255 runs from 50 overs)	
						R	B	4s	6s	SR	
CH Gayle*	lbw b Lamb			57	66	2	3	86.36	
AB Barath	b Chigumbura			50	96	4	1	52.08	
S Chanderpaul	c Chigumbura b SW Masakadza	70	70	4	1	100.00	
ADS Fletcher	run out (Cremer/†Taibu)		6	12	0	0	50.00	
N Deonarine	run out (†Taibu/Utseya)		17	17	1	0	100.00	
KA Pollard	c Taylor b Utseya		5	14	0	0	35.71	
D Ramdin†	b Chigumbura			8	16	0	0	50.00	
DR Smith	b SW Masakadza			4	5	1	0	80.00	
NO Miller	not out				12	4	1	1	300.00	
SJ Benn		c Cremer b SW Masakadza		0	1	0	0	0.00	
KAJ Roach	not out				1	1	0	0	100.00	
	Extras	(b 2, lb 7, w 11, nb 2)		22					
	Total	(9 wickets; 50 overs)		252	(5.04 runs per over)

Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Gayle, 22.6 ov), 2-126 (Barath, 29.3 ov), 3-136 (Fletcher, 32.4 ov), 
4-165 (Deonarine, 37.6 ov), 5-193 (Pollard, 42.4 ov), 6-233 (Chanderpaul, 47.5 ov), 
7-235 (Ramdin, 48.4 ov), 8-251 (Smith, 49.4 ov), 9-251 (Benn, 49.5 ov)

Bowling		O	M	R	W	Econ		
P Utseya	10	1	47	1	4.70	(2w)	
RW Price	10	1	31	0	3.10		
AG Cremer	10	0	48	0	4.80	(2w)	
SW Masakadza	3	0	36	3	12.00	(1nb, 1w)	
GA Lamb		10	0	35	1	3.50	(3w)	
E Chigumbura	5	0	32	2	6.40	(1nb, 2w)	
BRM Taylor	2	0	14	0	7.00