Zimbabwe v England

At Bulawayo, December 4, 2004. England won by eight wickets. Toss: Zimbabwe. One-day international debut: S. P. Jones.

England moved into an unassailable 3-0 lead with their most emphatic performance of the trip on a near-perfect batting pitch. Solanki's second one-day century, an innings of elegance and power off front and back foot, dominated an opening stand of 138 with Bell, an England record against Zimbabwe, and rendered the result a formality. Zimbabwe might have put up more of a fight had they taken either of two chances offered by Solanki off successive balls when he had 37, or one by Bell on 16, but the rawness of the attack was plain as they wilted under the assault. Solanki went on to reach three figures from only 89 deliveries, with 14 fours and two sixes, while Bell and Vaughan both lodged fifties to ease England home with 41 balls to spare. Zimbabwe had been set on the path to a decent total by a maiden one-day half-century from Matsikenyeri, but two run-outs in two balls in the 40th over stalled progress. The fate of Chigumbura, run out without facing, summed up Zimbabwe's day: the last four balls of his only over were struck for four by Solanki.

Man of the Match: V. S. Solanki.