Zimbabwe need to bounce back when they face Australia in the second ODI at Harare Sports Club on Friday 18 September. They trail the series 1-0 after a 59-run defeat in the opener, in which Australia scored 294 for 8 and Zimbabwe were dismissed for 235.
Craig Ervine made 59 off 60 balls and captain Sikandar Raza 57 off 76, but support was limited, with Brian Bennett making 25, Wessly Madhevere 22 and Brendan Taylor four. Twenty-year-old pacer Newman Nyamhuri took 5 for 62, the best figures of his young international career, and Brad Evans took two wickets.
For Australia, Matt Renshaw made 109 from 94 balls in his first ODI century, with Cooper Connolly adding 51 and Mitchell Marsh 36 off 28. Several batters failed to turn starts into big scores. Nathan Ellis took 5 for 31, Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett also took wickets, and Renshaw, Adam Zampa and Connolly claimed one each.
Zimbabwe’s batters need to support their top performers, and the bowlers will want to build on Nyamhuri’s display. Our preview still favours Australia, with a total of 265–285 a competitive first-innings range.
