BLOEMFONTEIN, Sept 15: Vusi Sibanda hit a half-century as underdogs Zimbabwe made a respectable 201 for seven in the first One-day International against South Africa at Springbok Park on Friday.

Sibanda made 51 off 78 balls against accurate but largely unthreatening bowling.

Justice Chibabhaba (37) and Hamilton Masakadza (34) also made useful contributions as Zimbabwe reached 137 for two in the 33rd over before losing wickets in trying to force the pace.

Stand-in captain Jacques Kallis and fellow pace bowlers Charl Langeveldt and Andre Nel each captured two wickets for South Africa, who were playing their first one-day international in more than six months.

Kallis captained South Africa for the first time in a one-day international. Regular captain Graeme Smith was still recovering from an ankle injury which kept him out of a recent tour of Sri Lanka.

Batsman AB de Villiers was not considered after suffering a cut heel while swimming in a dam last weekend.

Opening batsman Boeta Dippenaar was playing in his 100th one-day international cap while opening partner Loots Bosman made his debut.

Prosper Utseya returned to captain Zimbabwe after missing his side's nine-wicket defeat against the Eagles franchise team in Kimberley Wednesday. He won the toss and decided to bat in the first of three matches.

Zimbabwe made a slow start and lost Terry Duffin with the total on 21 in the eighth over when the left-hander edged Makhaya Ntini to Kallis at second slip.

Sibanda batted well after a shaky start but was caught at mid-off when he mistimed an attempted pull three balls after passing fifty for the sixth time in 40 one-day internationals.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe:

T Duffin c Kallis b Ntini 3

V Sibanda c Pollock b Nel 51

C J Chibhabha c Peterson b Kallis 37

H Masakadza c Duminy b Kallis 32

B R M Taylor c Gibbs b Nel 9

S Matsikenyeri b Langeveldt 11

E Chigumbura not out 26

P Utseya c Boucher b Langeveldt 14

T Mupariwa not out 2

EXTRAS: (LB-4, NB-2, W-10) 16

TOTAL: (for 7 wkts, 50 overs) 201

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-76, 3-137, 4-140, 5-158, 6-158, 7-179

BOWLING: Pollock 10-0-29-0 (2nb, 1w), Ntini 10-3-29-1 (1w), Nel 9-0-39-2 (4w), Langeveldt 10-0-49-2 (2w), Peterson 5-0-35-0, Kallis 6-1-16-2 (2w).

DID NOT BAT: A J Ireland, E C Rainsford.

Umpires: D L Harper (Australia), B Jerling (South Africa)

TV umpire: I Howell (South Africa)

Match referee: R Mahanama (Sri Lanka)

South Africa: J N Kallis, H H Dippenaar, L Bosman, H R Gibbs, J Duminy, M V Boucher, S M Pollock, R Peterson, C Langeveldt, A Nel, M Ntini.—AFP