Zimbabwe won by thrilling match between New Zealand

Zimbabwe's two big-hitting all-rounders, Elton Chigumbura and Malcolm Waller, finally came good, with a 112-run sixth-wicket partnership to end a 12-match losing streak across formats. On a flat pitch in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's batsmen, Waller in particular, showed immense character to chase a total of more than 300 for the first time in Zimbabwe's history, and stave off a clean sweep in the series.

Captain Brendan Taylor set them on the right track with an aggressive 75 off 65 balls before Tatenda Taibu's feisty fifty kept the momentum going. Waller and Chigumbura came together at the start of the 31st over, with 146 runs required to win and crafted a match-winning partnership. They batted themselves in, took on the spinners - Nathan McCullum and Rob Nicol - capitalised on anything on a length or too full and left New Zealand's bowlers wondering how many more runs they needed to work with.

The chase was punctuated with twists, and after Chigumbura and Waller brought the target down to less than a run a ball, Chigumbura was bowled by Jacob Oram, swinging down the wrong line. He left Waller to marshal the lower order, a task he completed with distinction.

Zimbabwe loosened their grip to allow Taylor and Jesse Ryder to rebuild. Ryder played with remarkable finesse and did well to work with Taylor through the middle period. He gave it away when he popped a leading edge back to Waller to fall three runs after reaching a gritty half-century.

Taylor had to consolidate with Williamson and, even when boundaries were rare, rotated strike well to avoid being tied down by Zimbabwe. The pair did not have to be patient for too long and were reprieved by all Zimbabwe's bowlers. When Meth offered the right length, the batsmen got under it; when Price bowled a full toss, they dispatched it; and even M'shangwe was punished when he erred. M'shangwe dropped Williamson when he was on 65, off his own bowling, an act that opened the floodgates at the end, allowing a deluge of runs during which both Taylor and Williamson brought up centuries.