Match scorecard Match reaction

Zimbabwe were put to the sword by New Zealand in a 192-run defeat in the opening match in the Triangular Series in Bulawayo.

New Zealand posted a massive 397-5 off 44 overs, with Lou Vincent smashing 172 for his maiden international century.

The Kiwis total was only one run less than Sri Lanka's record one-day international score, set off 50 overs.

Heath Streak top scored with 45 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 205 in their reply with an over to spare.

Vincent featured in a 204-run opening partnership with skipper Stephen Fleming (93) and a 122-run stand with Craig Fleming for the second wicket on a day records tumbled.

Vincent's 172 was scored off 119 balls, including 16 fours and nine sixes, before being caught by Prosper Utseya off the bowling of Andy Blignaut - just 22 runs short of Saeed Anwar's ODI world record individual score.

The total was New Zealand's highest one-day innings, beating their previous best of 349-9 against India in 1999.

HIGHEST ODI SCORES 398-5 (50 overs) - Sri Lanka v Kenya 1996 397-5 (44 overs) Zimbabwe v New Zealand 2005 391-4 (50 overs) England v Bangladesh 2005 376-2 (50 overs) India v New Zealand 1999 373-6 (50 overs) India v Sri Lanka 1999

Vincent's score was the highest by a New Zealander in a one-day international, passing Glenn Turner's unbeaten 171 in a 60-over match against East Africa in the 1975 World Cup.

The opening partnership with Fleming was New Zealand's biggest one-day partnership for any wicket.

Fleming, who also featured in the previous record partnership with Nathan Astle against Pakistan in 2001, was dropped by Ireland at mid-off when he had made just eight.

Vincent reached his century with a six in the 27th over and two balls later Fleming drove a head-high catch to Heath Streak at extra-cover.

Vincent and Craig McMillan posted a century stand for he second wicket off just 50 balls before McMillan holed out to Blessing Mahwire off Andy Blignaut.

Blignaut dismissed Vincent in his next over, with Propser Utseya taking a spectacular catch on the boundary.

New Zealand needed 12 runs off the final over to break the world record, but their momentum stalled when Jacob Oram was caught by Brendon Taylor of Mahwire for a first-ball duck.

Zimbabwe seamer Anthony Ireland took some scant consolation by taking 2-52 on his international debut.

Brendan Taylor and Stuart Carlisle got the Zimbabwe reply off to a promising start, with a 62-run opening partnership before Taylor was caught by Scott Styris off the bowling of Chris Cairns.

But that signalled the start of a slow, terminal decline for the hosts who lost wickets steadily, with slow left-armer Daniel Vettori the pick of the Black Caps' bowlers with 3-29 off eight overs.

Streak offered some lower-order resistance with a lusty 45 off 48 balls, which included two sixes and five fours before he was bowled by Kyle Mills.

The match, reduced in duration because of a damp pitch, was a baptism of fire for new Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran.