Key Takeaways
- Matt Renshaw scored his maiden ODI century in the first match of a three-match series.
- Australia won by 59 runs, posting 294-8 and dismissing Zimbabwe for 235.
- Nathan Ellis took career-best figures of 5-31 for Australia.
Matt Renshaw scored his maiden One-day International (ODI) century as Australia defeated Zimbabwe by 59 runs in the first match of a three-match series in Harare on Tuesday.
Renshaw, batting at No.6, hit a 109-run innings, including three sixes and seven fours, to surpass his previous best of 61.
Australia won the toss and posted 294-8, setting a challenging target for Zimbabwe, who were all out for 235 with 4.5 overs remaining.
Renshaw’s innings came after Australia lost four wickets for 107, but he rebuilt the innings with valuable partnerships, including 72 with Alex Carey and 75 with Oliver Peake.
Nathan Ellis, who was awarded the player-of-the-match, starred with the ball, taking career-best figures of 5-31, including the wickets of top Zimbabwe scorer Craig Ervine (59) and opener Brian Bennett (25).
Zimbabwe’s innings saw Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza add 98 runs for the fifth wicket, but Ellis and other Australian bowlers restricted their scoring.
The match was part of Australia’s nine-match ODI and Test tour of southern Africa, with the series concluding on Sunday. The team will then travel to South Africa for further matches.
Renshaw, who last scored a century in the Sydney Test against Pakistan in January 2017, expressed relief at his performance, stating, 'Ten years between international hundreds was not something I was expecting.'
I just tried to rebuild the innings. We lost a few wickets (after) the boys started really well.
Matt Renshaw, Player-of-the-match
