Match Details
Chasing a
paltry target of 201 for the win, Australia got off to a steady start with
David Warner and Aaron Finch adding 43 runs for the first wicket. Finch failed
again as he went for 15 runs. Steven Smith joined David Warner in the middle
and the duo added 65 runs for the second wicket before Warner fell for 57.
Australia then lost its way a bit with the middle order batters misfiring.
Alex Carey (10), Marcus Stoinis (19), and Mitchell Marsh (2) missed out and
frittered away their chances. But then Glenn Maxwell came and finished things off in style with an unbeaten 32 off 9 balls with 3 fours and as many sixes to his name. Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 48 off 80 balls to guide the chase home with less drama.
Ryan Burl was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets to his name. A wicket to his fellow spinner Sikander Raza while Richard Ngarava got the wicket of Australian skipper Aaron Finch. They needed at least 250 on this wicket to compete but lost 6-15 with the bat and lost the contest. Zimbabwe gave away as many as 18 extras to the Australian total which given they were defending 200 was not acceptable.
Earlier in the game, it was Aaron Finch who won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast conditions at Townsville. Zimbabwe got off to a steady start putting on 42 runs for the first wicket before Innocent Kaia fell for 17. Marumani continued batting and scored 45 putting on 45 for the second wicket with Wesley Madhevere. Madhevere top-scored with 72 while Regis Chakabva contributed with 31 off 33 balls as the skipper. Sikandar Raza missed out for a change while the rest couldn’t deliver.
The visitors
were placed at 185-4 and then lost their last six wickets for 16 runs in a span
of 28 balls as the Aussies were giving nothing away. Cameron Green was the star
with the ball for Australia with figures of 5-33 in 9 overs for his first five-wicket haul in ODIS. He was ably supported by Adam Zampa who picked up 3 wickets
for 57 runs in 10 overs. A wicket apiece for Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Marsh.
Josh Hazlewood went wicketless but gave away only 36 runs in 10 overs. Glenn
Maxwell only bowled 4 overs for 19 runs. 11 extras also contributed to the
Zimbabwe total.
So, Australia takes a 1-0 lead and garners 10 crucial points in the World Super League. Stay tuned for the post-match presentation ceremony.