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.
Harare Sports Club usually gives the quicker bowlers some swing and seam early on, so the first ten overs can be demanding. The pitch improves for batting as the innings goes on, then can slow later, helping spinners and slower-ball bowlers. It is not an extremely high-scoring ODI ground. In the first match Australia made 294 for 8 and Zimbabwe 235, a useful benchmark.
Hazy sunshine is expected at the 9:30 am local start, with temperatures around 22–23°C. It should stay dry with very little chance of rain and a moderate breeze. No significant dew is expected in the morning.
Australia made 294 for 8 and beat Zimbabwe, who were bowled out for 235, by 59 runs at Harare.
Craig Ervine made 59 from 60 balls, Sikandar Raza 57, and 20-year-old Newman Nyamhuri took 5 for 62.
Matt Renshaw made a maiden ODI century of 109 from 94 balls and Nathan Ellis took a career-best 5 for 31.
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