England crush Zimbabwe

A record stand between Kevin Pietersen and Geraint Jones led England to an emphatic 161-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international at Harare on Wednesday.

Pietersen and Jones, who came together with the touring side struggling on 121 for five, added 120 to guide England to a total of 263 before Zimbabwe were dismissed for just 102 in 36 overs.

Zimbabwe's second-biggest one-day international defeat in terms of runs left England 2-0 up in the four-match series.

Pietersen, playing his second limited-overs international, stroked 77 not out off 76 balls including four fours and three sixes, while Jones clubbed 66 off 46 deliveries in an England record sixth-wicket partnership.

Zimbabwe fast bowlers Tinashe Panyangara and Christopher Mpofu used early life in the pitch to keep the England top order under pressure, with Panyangara removing Ian Bell and captain Michael Vaughan for five and 11 respectively.

Zimbabwe's three off-spinners, former rebel player Gavin Ewing, Prosper Utseya and Stuart Matsikenyeri, each took wickets as England stumbled.

Pietersen and Jones, however, hammered booming drives and meaty pulls to all parts of the ground for the next 13 overs as both passed fifty for the first time in one-day internationals.

Darren Gough and James Anderson wasted England's new ball and Matsikenyeri, who was dropped on one by Paul Collingwood at backward point off Gough, and Brendan Taylor took advantage to share a 40-run first-wicket partnership.

Anderson ended the stand when Matsikenyeri, on 17, miscued a pull to Vaughan at mid-on.

The introduction of medium pacer Alex Wharf in the ninth over stemmed the flow of runs.

The disciplined Wharf had Taylor caught behind by wicketkeeper Jones for 13 in his second over and two balls later Mark Vermeulen slapped a waist-high catch to Pietersen in the covers.

Wharf then bowled Hamilton Masakadza for three to reduce Zimbabwe to 53 for four.

The home side never recovered, captain Tatenda Taibu top-scoring with 32.

Wharf finished with career-best figures of four for 24, while medium pacer Collingwood and left-arm spinner Ashley Giles profited from poor strokes by Zimbabwe's middle order to take three for 16 and two for 12 respectively.

Scoreboard:

England
V.Solanki st Taibu b Utseya 42
I.Bell c Ebrahim b Panyangara 5
M.Vaughan lbw b Panyangara 11
A.Strauss b Ewing 33
K.Pietersen not out 77
P.Collingwood c Taibu b Matsikenyeri 7
G.Jones c Masakadza b Panyangara 66
A.Giles not out 3

Extras (lb-5 nb-2 w-12) 19

Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 263

Fall of wickets: 1-13 2-30 3-93 4-103 5-121 6-241.

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

Bowling: Panyangara 10-1-61-3 (nb-2), Mpofu 10-0-51-0 (w-5), Chigumbura 7-0-38-0 (w-2), Utseya 10-0-35-1 (w-1), Ewing 7-0-36-1 (w-3), Matsikenyeri 4-0-18-1 (w-1), Taylor 2-0-19-0.

Zimbabwe
S.Matsikenyeri c Vaughan b Anderson 17
B.Taylor c Jones b Wharf 13
D.Ebrahim c Vaughan b Collingwood 12
M.Vermeulen c Pietersen b Wharf 0
H.Masakadza b Wharf 3
T.Taibu c & b Giles 32
E.Chigumbura c & b Collingwood 4
G.Ewing c Anderson b Collingwood 0
T.Panyangara c Solanki b Giles 0
P.Utseya not out 2
C.Mpofu c Collingwood b Wharf 2

Extras (lb-2 nb-3 w-12) 17

Total (all out, 36 overs) 102

Fall of wickets: 1-40 2-42 3-42 4-53 5-78 6-89 7-97 8-97 9-97.

Bowling: Gough 6-1-24-0 (nb-1 w-3), Anderson 7-1-24-1 (w-9), Wharf 6-1-24-4 (nb-2), Collingwood 10-4-16-3, Giles 7-2-12-2.

Result: England won by 161 runs and lead four-match series 2-0.

First match: Harare, England won by five wickets.

Third match: Bulawayo, December 4.

Fourth match: Bulawayo, December 5.