Zimbabwe v Australia 3rd ODI Highlights | 15:37
Josh Higgins from Fox Sports activitiesSeptember 21st, 2026 1:19 am
The Australians will face South Africa in a best-of-three ODI sequence — beginning Thursday — as the choice squeeze continues to build and players struggle to cement their place in the side.
So, what has the Zimbabwe sequence shown us and what have we realized?
Watch South Africa vs Australia ODI Sequence Stay & Exclusive on Fox Cricket, accessible on Kayo Sports activities | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for simply $1.
Is Cooper Connolly now considered a lock for both the South Africa sequence and the World Cup?
And which Aussie quick labelled a “gem” and “one of the best white-ball bowlers on the planet” by captain Mitchell Marsh could threaten the established large three?
Fox Sports activities Australia seems at a few of the largest speaking points from the Zimbabwe sequence, while looking forward to South Africa and past.
Inglis hits ton as Aussies beat Zimbabwe | 01:26
Young gun Cooper Connolly has performed his worldwide stocks no harm despite a disappointing finish to his sequence.
Connolly, 23, scored 51 runs from 46 balls in match one and 78 runs from 69 balls in the second match, earlier than recording his lowest rating of the sequence in the final sport with 21 runs from 39 balls.
But it was the best way he dealt with some troublesome conditions throughout the sequence that stood out.
Connolly got here to the crease in games one and three following early dismissals of Travis Head, forcing the younger Western Australian to assist settle Australia’s innings.
He did precisely that throughout the sequence and was rewarded by being named player of the sequence.
“I simply trusted my processes and was fortunate sufficient to have success this sequence however there’s still a whole lot of cricket to go,” Connolly stated following the ultimate match.
“I’m trying to keep it so simple as doable.“
It continues an impressive run of kind for Connolly, who additionally scored 149 in opposition to Bangladesh in his previous ODI earlier than this sequence.
That run made him the youngest Australian to document three consecutive scores of fifty or extra in males’s ODIs at simply 23 years and 27 days.
However past the runs, it was Connolly’s composure that caught the eye of the commentary group in the course of the third match, with comparisons made to fellow Western Australian Shaun Marsh.
That composure was again on show when Australia misplaced both openers inside the opening 4 overs.
Connolly was pleased to take his time alongside Josh Inglis, absorbing a few of the strain and allowing Australia to settle after the early wickets.
While he couldn’t turn his begin into another large rating, it was another glimpse at why Connolly continues to put himself firmly in Australia’s ODI plans.
With names such as Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw among the many players in the combine for future sequence and the 2027 World Cup, continuing this type can be necessary if Connolly wants to become a staple of this Australian ODI group.
NATHAN ELLIS TO BREAK UP THE BIG THREE?
Nathan Ellis continues to push his case as certainly one of Australia’s greatest white-ball bowlers after another impressive sequence.
Ellis, 31, began the sequence with a career-best ODI haul of 5/51, which included two wickets in the identical over early in his spell.
He continued to have an impact across the remaining two matches, taking another wicket in sport two earlier than a three-wicket haul in the final match capped off a robust sequence.
His performances even had captain Mitchell Marsh questioning whether Ellis ought to have walked away with player of the sequence honours.
“I thought Nathan Ellis was fairly stiff not to be man of the sequence,” Marsh stated following the ultimate match.
“He’s a champion. He’s somebody I go to, he’s an important leader in our group.”
It wasn’t the primary time Marsh had praised Ellis in the course of the sequence, with the Australian captain making his emotions clear following the short’s five-wicket haul in sport one.
“Nathan Ellis is a gem. I believe he’s one of the best white-ball bowlers on the planet,” Marsh stated.
“He can bowl in all phases and it’s a privilege to have him in our side.“
Ellis has additionally made modifications away from the sector to ensure he’s prepared when his alternatives for Australia arrive.
“Daily it’s Australia, it’s Australian cricket (that is the priority),” Ellis told cricket.com.au following sport three.
“So, it’s simply ensuring that I’m fit and firing and contemporary coming into sequence.”
With Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins all more likely to be accessible if fit, spots among Australia’s fast-bowling stocks are at all times tough to search out.
But when Ellis’ recent kind is something to go off and construct upon, he could threaten to interrupt up the established large three.
Ellis has continued to take wickets when given alternatives at ODI stage, including across recent sequence in opposition to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
With Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc all part of the 2023 World Cup-winning group, Ellis will need to continue producing sturdy performances to force his means ahead of any of them.
However he isn’t the only quick with World Cup and future sequence aspirations, with Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett additionally among the many names fighting for alternatives.
Stanlake blow sours Aussie sequence win | 01:16
Johnson was the better of the 2 in opposition to Zimbabwe, with both playing in two of the three matches after being replaced by Billy Stanlake and Josh Hazlewood for the second sport of the sequence.
Johnson completed with three wickets across his two appearances, while Bartlett managed only one for the sequence and went wicketless in the final match.
Stanlake is another identify who can be in the combine, however an oblique damage saw him depart the sector early in the second match earlier than being dominated out of sport three.
With Stanlake injured, Jack Edwards is anticipated to be called into the ODI squad for the sequence in opposition to South Africa, adding another identify to Australia’s rising checklist of fast-bowling choices.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, Australia’s depth of fast-bowling choices will give selectors loads to consider, however Ellis continues to make the most of every opportunity he gets.
PLAYER RATINGS: Aussie gun’s massive assertion as Cup hopefuls shine; quick’s sequence to overlook
GAME THREE RECAP: Aussie hero’s miracle rescue seals wild 3-0 sweep after Inglis ton in final-over thriller
HEAD AND MARSH THE OPENING PAIR?
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh could be Australia’s new opening partnership heading in the direction of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Mitchell Marsh and Head opened throughout the three-match sequence in opposition to Zimbabwe, where the pair had blended results.
After combining for simply 10 runs in the opening match, Head and Marsh responded with a 130-run partnership in sport two as they raced Australia to a stellar begin.
But the final match introduced another early test, with both openers dismissed inside the opening 4 overs.
Those early wickets put strain on Cooper Connolly at three to reply and stabilise the Australians, one thing the teenager was able to do throughout the sequence.
A lot has been made of Head and his dismissals, along with his first-match innings ending after he chopped onto his stumps, the fourth time he had been dismissed that means in 4 worldwide innings.
His response in match two was impressive, scoring 112 runs from 84 balls as he broke multiple records, including the one set by Matt Renshaw just a sport earlier for the highest ODI rating by an Australian in opposition to Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe.
Head stated the pair’s strategy was easy as they seemed to put Zimbabwe beneath strain from the outset.
“It was nice to spend a while in the center and spend a while on the market with Mitch,” Head stated following sport two.
“We simply tried to be aggressive and impact the game.“
It actually had the desired effect, with Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza admitting the pair had put his side on the again foot.
“Credit score to Travis and Mitch Marsh. They put us beneath strain,” Raza stated.
For Head, it was an analogous knock to his 137 runs from 120 balls in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where he batted with the liberty which has made him one of the best batters on the planet.
Each Head and Marsh are established ODI players, with the expertise and leadership to deal with the new ball and construct a robust innings for Australia.
Australia have experimented with different opening combinations when Marsh and Head have been out of the side, with Josh Inglis, Cooper Connolly and Matt Short among these taking up the accountability in recent sequence.
However with the 2027 ODI World Cup now getting closer, the Zimbabwe sequence gave Australia another look at the Marsh-Head mixture and confirmed simply how damaging the pair might be when they get going.
Head tons up as Aussies win sequence | 02:08
WHO ARE THE WALK-UP STARTERS FOR 2027?
5 players could be considered as close to walk-up starters for the 2027 ODI World Cup off the again of the Zimbabwe sequence.
Those five names are Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis and Adam Zampa.
4 of the five have been part of the 2023 ODI World Cup-winning side, with Connolly the only one not to make the group.
For these five, and significantly after this sequence, it’s exhausting to see them not being firmly in Australia’s plans for 2027.
Marsh is the group’s captain presently and boasts a wealth of expertise, while Head has shown his bad might be matched by a record-breaking good.
Zampa will go down as one of the best spinners Australia has seen at ODI stage, while Josh Inglis appears to have moved ahead of Alex Carey because the beginning wicketkeeper in the format.
For Inglis, the third match was precisely what he needed following two poor games with the bat.
Zimbabwe v Australia: 2nd ODI Highlights | 15:43
“It was a troublesome couple of games, I was disenchanted with my output however to get a rating and assist us win a sport right now, I’m pleased,” Inglis stated following sport three.
“I was going well until that lapse in focus.”
Then there is Connolly.
Regardless of being simply 23 years outdated, Connolly has shown a stage of maturity hardly ever seen from somebody his age and, along with his natural progression and development, could become certainly one of Australia’s most necessary players on the World Cup.
However when looking previous this present group, where else are a few of the walk-up starters?
You’d suspect fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc would be firmly in Australia’s plans if fit, together with Steve Smith if he needs to play another World Cup.
However then the remainder of the sector emerges and the squeeze corporations up.
Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Matt Short, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Josh Hazlewood, Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson are among these fighting for spots.
The batting group arguably has the most questions, with David Warner and Glenn Maxwell leaving big holes from the last World Cup.
Labuschagne’s recent ODI kind hasn’t helped his case, with simply two scores above 20 in his previous eight matches.
Then there is Renshaw, who confirmed his very best in this sequence.
The 30-year-old began the sequence on fire with 109 from 94 balls however was unable to continue that kind across the remaining two matches.
Captain Mitchell Marsh was stuffed with reward for Renshaw’s efficiency following the opening sport.
“I thought the best way Alex Carey and Matt Renshaw constructed that partnership was implausible and Matty’s innings was good,” Marsh stated.
Hazlewood presents a unique question.
The skilled quick was managed throughout the Zimbabwe sequence, along with his solely appearance coming in sport two as he returned to the ODI format for the primary time since October 2025.
His figures have been solid with 2/48, helping clear up the Zimbabwe tail with both wickets coming in the identical over.
The squeeze for spots is going to be an interesting watch, and even younger guns including Ollie Peake have the chance to search out their means into the group ahead of a few of the extra skilled campaigners.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au
