Zimbabwe v Australia: 2nd ODI Highlights | 15:43
Josh Higgins and Will Faulkner from Fox Sports activitiesSeptember 19th, 2026 7:20 am
Australia has secured a first bilateral ODI series win in Zimbabwe in more than 22 years following one other record-breaking evening with the bat in a 84-run victory.
Led by Travis Head’s good 112 off 84 balls, Australia piled on 6-356 to set Zimbabwe a mountain to climb.
The whole was Australia’s highest ever in opposition to Zimbabwe in an ODI, surpassing the previous mark of 350 set in 2014.
And that wasn’t the only file to fall.
Head brought up the fastest half-century by an Australian opener in opposition to Zimbabwe and the very best ODI rating by an Australian in Zimbabwe.
Watch Zimbabwe vs Australia ODI Collection Dwell & Unique on Fox Cricket, accessible on Kayo Sports activities | New to Kayo? Be part of now and get your first month for just $1.
An iconic century for Head v Zimbabwe | 06:18
He took the file of highest ODI rating from teammate Matt Renshaw, whose 109-run efficiency in recreation one stood for just three days.
For captain Mitch Marsh post-game, the victory stemmed from a ‘full efficiency’.
“I believed it was an entire efficiency from the boys,” Marsh mentioned.
“Clearly, the way Travis batted and the platform that we had been able to set for our middle order.
“It’s great to see guys like Cooper Connolly and Peake coming in and playing roles like that.”
Younger guns Cooper Connolly and Ollie Peake additionally continued their scorching form as they push their circumstances for 2027 World Cup choice.
Connolly added one other 78 runs to his name after scoring 51 in recreation one, persevering with a formidable run of form in the ODI side. He additionally took 2-25, together with the last two wickets of the game.
OUCH! Head response caught on stump mic | 00:17
And Peake went berserk late in the innings, smashing an unbeaten 41 from just 18 deliveries to comfortably surpass his previous ODI better of 31.
Marsh additionally led from the front with 53 from 63 deliveries, whereas later having to handle a depleted bowling attack.
The Aussies had been dealt an injury blow when Billy Stanlake, who returned to the side alongside Josh Hazlewood, lasted just 4.2 overs before leaving the field with a suspected side injury.
It compelled Australia to turn to eight completely different bowlers, however Adam Zampa stepped up with wickets No.200 and 201 of his ODI profession.
The milestone saw Zampa be a part of the great Shane Warne as the only Australian spinners to achieve 200 ODI wickets.
Josh Hazlewood was additionally sturdy late, collecting two wickets in the identical over in a stable return to the ODI side.
Ultimately, Australia’s record-breaking complete proved far an excessive amount of for Zimbabwe, who had been never able to seriously threaten the target.
The hosts had been bowled out for 272 as Australia secured an 84-run victory.
The Aussies seal the series 2-0 with one recreation still to play, with the third and remaining ODI to come back on Sunday.
HEAD’S RECORD NIGHT AFTER WORRYING TREND
Head responded the only means he knows how after a poor first ODI in opposition to Zimbabwe.
He surpassed teammate Matt Renshaw’s 109 from the first match, a file which had stood for just one recreation after Renshaw moved past Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch.
“It was good to spend some time in the middle and spend some time out there with Mitch (Marsh),” mentioned player-of-the-match award winner Head.
“We didn’t train for a few days which was good truly. We had achieved a good bit of training going into the series. It was good to be contemporary. We just tried to be aggressive.”
“In a three-game series, you need to just attempt to affect it a couple of times, so understand that you simply’re not going to make runs in every recreation.
“So, it was good as soon as I got my start at the moment that I used to be able to get rating and contribute to win.”
It got here after a poor opening match during which Head chopped onto his own stumps, a trend which has grow to be more and more common throughout his current innings.
Including that dismissal, Head had misplaced his wicket in the identical fashion throughout his previous 4 international innings.
The trend caught the eye of Australian great Jason Gillespie throughout the first match.
“This is becoming fairly a common dismissal for Travis Head,” Gillespie mentioned throughout the broadcast.
However Head responded in recreation two, with the two-time and reigning Allan Border Medallist smashing 112 off 84 balls, together with 15 fours and three sixes.
His record-breaking knock finally got here to an finish when he skied the ball into the air and was caught.
It was Head’s eighth profession ODI century and, with one recreation remaining in opposition to Zimbabwe before a three-match ODI series and three-Check series in opposition to South Africa, finding form on the right time is crucial.
YOUNG GUNS PUSHING FOR WC SELECTION
A lot has been fabricated from the “age” of the Australian cricket program, but the indicators for the longer term are sturdy after Connolly and Peake dominated Zimbabwe in recreation two.
Connolly, 23, completed the match with 78 runs from 69 balls, together with his knock together with three fours and three sixes.
It’s now his third spectacular recreation in a row in the ODI format.
He scored 51 runs from 46 balls in recreation certainly one of this series, after starring with 149 from 134 balls <a href="https://cricket.international/top-3-india-women-<a href="https://cricket.international/top-3-sri-lanka-women-players-to-watch-out-against-pakistan/” title=”Top 3: Sri Lanka Women Players to Watch Out Towards Pakistan”>players-to-watch-out-against-bangladesh/” title=”Top 3: India Women Players to Watch Out Towards Bangladesh”>in opposition to Bangladesh in the remaining ODI of that three-game series earlier this 12 months.
Peake, in the meantime, exploded for the Aussies late in the innings, helping Australia post a file ODI rating of 356 in opposition to Zimbabwe, surpassing the previous mark of 350 set in 2014.
He completed his short cameo unbeaten on 41 from 18 balls, building on his 30 runs in recreation one, which was one run shy of his previous ODI better of 31.
Connolly staking declare for WC spot | 01:03
Peake, 20, responded after stepping back onto his stumps in recreation one and now takes some sturdy form into the third match before the tour of South Africa.
For Australia, the selection calls might grow to be more and more tough because the 2027 World Cup approaches.
Marnus Labuschagne has struggled for form, with only one ODI half-century throughout his past 16 innings for Australia and an average of 15.43 during that stretch.
With David Warner and Glenn Maxwell retired, spots have opened up in Australia’s batting order, and there is no scarcity of players putting their palms up.
Cameron Green remains firmly in the middle-order mix, whereas Connolly and Peake are building their circumstances and Renshaw started this series with a brilliant 109 off 94 balls.
There is still loads of cricket to be performed before the 2027 World Cup, but if Australia’s youthful choices proceed to supply, established names equivalent to Labuschagne might find themselves under genuine pressure for a spot in the squad.
WHICH KEEPER MAKES THE WC SQUAD?
With Josh Inglis and Alex Carey both in the squad for Australia, might both make the 2027 World Cup squad or will the defending champions elect to go along with just one?
Carey started as Australia’s wicketkeeper on the 2023 World Cup before Inglis took over from the second recreation and held the gloves for the rest of their title-winning run.
With both players sturdy behind the stumps, their form with the bat might go a good distance towards determining who will get the nod in 2027.
After two video games this series, Inglis has scores of four runs off 12 balls in the opening match and 21 runs off 20 balls in the second.
For Carey, the first recreation saw him rating 27 runs from 53 balls before adding 20 runs from 30 balls in recreation two.
Zimbabwe v Australia 1st ODI Highlights | 16:30
Neither has made a significant statement with the bat in opposition to Zimbabwe up to now, leaving the battle for Australia’s wicketkeeping spot an attention-grabbing one heading towards the South Africa tour.
Historically, Inglis has a batting average of 29.48 with a highest rating of 120 not out, whereas Carey averages 33.49 with a excessive rating of 106.
With loads of cricket still to come back before the World Cup, the chance is there for either participant to put some distance between themselves and the other.
The Australians have elected to make use of Inglis behind the stumps up to now this series, and he does have the expertise of being Australia’s first-choice keeper for almost all of their profitable 2023 World Cup campaign, together with the ultimate.
RE-LIVE. Can’t see the weblog?Click right here
Supply: www.foxsports.com.au
