Opener Ian Bell scored a half-century on his debut to guide England to a comfortable five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first one-day international on Sunday.

Bell made 75 as England made 197 for five in reply to Zimbabwe's total of 195 to win by five wickets with 14 balls to spare.

The series has been reduced from five to four matches after England's arrival in Zimbabwe was delayed by more of the political wrangling that dominated the build-up to the tour.

Bell, who faced 115 balls and hit four fours, was dropped on 45 and 68, both times off the bowling of off-spinner Stuart Matsikenyeri.

Bell and captain Michael Vaughan set up the victory with a second-wicket stand of 111. Vaughan scored 56 off 75 deliveries and hit six fours and a six.

Bell and Vaughan were separated in the 30th over when Vaughan pulled a ball from Matsikenyeri to deep mid-wicket, where Elton Chigumbura took the catch.

That was the start of a slide in which England lost four wickets for 43 runs in the space of 12 overs.

The touring side stumbled from 132 for one to 175 for five before Kevin Pietersen, who scored an unbeaten 27, and Geraint Jones, who made seven not out, took them to victory in the 48th over.

Bell was caught behind by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu off Matsikenyeri in the 41st over.

In the home side's innings captain Taibu passed 1,000 runs in one-day internationals in his 68th match as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 195 after losing the toss.

Most of Zimbabwe's batsmen struggled to score quickly enough, the exception being Chigumbura, who clipped 52 off 47 balls with six fours and a six.

Chigumbura and Dion Ebrahim, who scored a more subdued 45 off 90 balls, added 82 for the sixth wicket.

They came together after Zimbabwe were reduced to 90 for five in the 30th over, and they kept England at bay until the 43rd over when Ebrahim was bowled off his pads by left-arm spinner Ashley Giles.

Chigumbura was out four balls later when he skied a delivery from fast bowler James Anderson to Paul Collingwood at deep cover.

Gough completed figures of three for 34 from 9.3 overs.

Scorecard

Zimbabwe
B Taylor b Wharf 17
S Matsikenyeri c Pietersen b Gough 14
V Sibanda b Wharf 6
D Ebrahim b Giles 45
M Vermeulen run out (Strauss) 11
T Taibu b Gough 5
E Chigumbura c Collingwood b Anderson 52
T Panyangara lbw b Giles 1
P Utseya not out 11
D Hondo run out (Collingwood) 7
C Mpofu b Gough 0

Extras: (lb-8 nb-1 w-17) 26

Total: (all out, 49.3 overs) 195

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-45, 3-56, 4-80, 5-90, 6-172, 7-172, 8-175, 9-194.

Bowling: Gough 9.3-0-34-3, Anderson 10-1-38-1, Wharf 10-2-38-2, Collingwood 10-0-41-0, Giles 10-0-36-2.

England
V Solanki c Panyangara b Hondo 7
I Bell c Taibu b Brendan Taylor 75
M Vaughan c Chigumbura b Matsikenyeri 56
A Strauss c and b Matsikenyeri 8
K Pietersen not out 27
P Collingwood run out (Utseya) 1
G Jones not out 7

Extras: (lb-3 nb-4 w-9) 16

Total: (for five wickets, 47.4 overs) 197

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-132, 3-146, 4-170, 5-175.

Did not bat: A Giles, A Wharf, D Gough, J Anderson.

Bowling: Panyangara 6-0-32-0, Mpofu 9.4-1-32-0, Hondo 6-0-26-1, Chigumbura 2-0-18-0, Utseya 10-0-39-0, Matsikenyeri 10-0-33-2, Taylor 4-0-14-1.

Result: England won by five wickets.