The Zimbabwe tour to South Africa went ahead despite criticism that the series would do little for the hosts' preparation for the tour of the West Indies. In hindsight, it did little for the morale in the Zimbabwean camp. 

The first of three one-day internationals saw the obvious in evidence as South Africa chalked up a mammoth 301 after Tatenda Taibu put the hosts into bat. The hosts' innings rode on swift half centuries from the top three, Graeme Smith, Adam Bacher and Jacques Rudolph. Herschelle Gibbs chipped in with a useful forty and the late charge was led by Mark Boucher's explosive forty-nine with Ashwell Prince and Albie Morkel lending the final fireworks.

Shaun Pollock was barely missed despite the ankle injury as the hosts skittled out Zimbabwe for 136 in under forty-eight overs. There was little to write home about apart from the skipper's twenty-eight besides opener Stuart Matsikenyeri's twenty-five. The dismissals of Alester Maregwede and Chigumbara by Albie Morkel in the twentieth over left Zimbabwe tottering at seventy-five for the loss of six wickets and the contest pretty much over. Andrew Hall and Makhaya Ntini shared in the even spoils with three wickets apiece.

The second match at Durban was yet another gluttonous affair for the hosts and this time, Taibu's risk proved riskier still. Graeme Smith led the way with a career best 117. The South African skipper has struck gold with his bat, with three centuries coming in the span of a month. South Africa did suffer hiccups though, before the renowned duo waltzed with a 134-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Coming together on sixty-seven for three, the skipper continued his purple patch, but Herschelle Gibbs missed out on an opportunity to add another century to his tally, falling for seventy-five to the off-spin of Brendon Rogers. Prosper Utseya who picked up three wickets in the previous game was quickly brought down to earth with a shatteringly expensive spell. Christopher Mpofu's three-wicket haul was not without indiscipline. But Justin Kemp was not about to finish his resurrection on his homeland without another mind-blowing display. He equalled Mark Boucher's effort against Kenya in 2001 with a half-century off just nineteen balls as sixes rained in torrents.

The task just got stiffer for the really beleaguered Zimbabwean team needing 330 for a most unlikely victory. The openers held on until the eighteenth over and seventy-one runs on board before Matsikenyeri was sent back by Albie Morkel, who removed Brendon Rogers almost immediately after a valiant forty-seven. Adam Bacher added his name of the list of one-day international wicket takers for South Africa with a couple as once again, Zimbabwe only faired marginally better in that they managed to bat out the fifty overs but were never within yards of a fighting chance, ending up on 198.

Taibu chose the other road at port Elizabeth to stop the bludgeoning but with little success. Zimbabwe were looking down the barrel at thirty-five for five with early blows from Charl Langeveldt and Monde Zondeki. Brendan Taylor with forty-one and Gavin Ewing with forty-six helped the comeback hero Heath Streak (a worthy sixty-eight) in staging a rearguard resurgence to post 206 on board.

South Africa stuttered twice but there was enough arsenal to complete the job. At thirty-five for two, Gibbs and Rudolph rebuilt the innings before a double strike by Tawanda Mupiwara left South Africa in a touch of doubt at seventy-nine for two. But there was no discounting Justin Kemp who sizzled in a stroke filled unbeaten seventy-five that started out on a more consolidating note before South Africa sealed a customary three-nil victory.