Zimbabwe v Australia 3rd ODI Highlights | 15:37
Josh Higgins from Fox SportsSeptember 21st, 2026 1:19 am
The Australians will face South Africa in a best-of-three ODI series — starting Thursday — as the selection squeeze continues to build and players fight to cement their place in the side.
So, what has the Zimbabwe series shown us and what have we learned?
Watch South Africa vs Australia ODI Series Live & Exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
Is Cooper Connolly now considered a lock for both the South Africa series and the World Cup?
And which Aussie quick labelled a “gem” and “one of the best white-ball bowlers in the world” by captain Mitchell Marsh could threaten the established big three?
Fox Sports Australia looks at some of the biggest talking points from the Zimbabwe series, while looking ahead to South Africa and beyond.
Inglis hits ton as Aussies beat Zimbabwe | 01:26
Young gun Cooper Connolly has done his international stocks no harm despite a disappointing end to his series.
Connolly, 23, scored 51 runs from 46 balls in match one and 78 runs from 69 balls in the second match, before recording his lowest score of the series in the final game with 21 runs from 39 balls.
But it was the way he handled some difficult situations throughout the series that stood out.
Connolly came to the crease in games one and three following early dismissals of Travis Head, forcing the young Western Australian to help settle Australia’s innings.
He did exactly that throughout the series and was rewarded by being named player of the series.
“I just trusted my processes and was lucky enough to have success this series but there’s still a lot of cricket to go,” Connolly said following the final match.
“I’m trying to keep it as simple as possible.“
It continues an impressive run of form for Connolly, who also scored 149 against Bangladesh in his previous ODI before this series.
That run made him the youngest Australian to record three consecutive scores of 50 or more in men’s ODIs at just 23 years and 27 days.
But beyond the runs, it was Connolly’s composure that caught the attention of the commentary team during the third match, with comparisons made to fellow Western Australian Shaun Marsh.
That composure was again on display when Australia lost both openers inside the opening four overs.
Connolly was happy to take his time alongside Josh Inglis, absorbing some of the pressure and allowing Australia to settle after the early wickets.
While he couldn’t turn his start into another big score, 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 players in the mix for future series and the 2027 World Cup, continuing this form will be important if Connolly wants to become a staple of this Australian ODI team.
NATHAN ELLIS TO BREAK UP THE BIG THREE?
Nathan Ellis continues to push his case as one of Australia’s best white-ball bowlers after another impressive series.
Ellis, 31, started the series with a career-best ODI haul of 5/51, which included two wickets in the same over early in his spell.
He continued to have an impact across the remaining two matches, taking another wicket in game two before a three-wicket haul in the final match capped off a strong series.
His performances even had captain Mitchell Marsh questioning whether Ellis should have walked away with player of the series honours.
“I thought Nathan Ellis was pretty stiff not to be man of the series,” Marsh said following the final match.
“He’s a champion. He’s someone I go to, he’s a great leader in our group.”
It wasn’t the first time Marsh had praised Ellis during the series, with the Australian captain making his feelings clear following the quick’s five-wicket haul in game one.
“Nathan Ellis is a gem. I believe he’s one of the best white-ball bowlers in the world,” Marsh said.
“He can bowl in all phases and it’s a privilege to have him in our side.“
Ellis has also made changes away from the field to ensure he is ready when his opportunities for Australia arrive.
“Every day it’s Australia, it’s Australian cricket (that is the priority),” Ellis told cricket.com.au following game three.
“So, it’s just making sure that I’m fit and firing and fresh coming into series.”
With Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins all likely to be available if fit, spots among Australia’s fast-bowling stocks are always tough to find.
But if Ellis’ recent form is anything to go off and build upon, he could threaten to break up the established big three.
Ellis has continued to take wickets when given opportunities at ODI level, including across recent series against India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
With Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc all part of the 2023 World Cup-winning team, Ellis will need to continue producing strong performances to force his way ahead of any of them.
But he isn’t the only quick with World Cup and future series aspirations, with Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett also among the names fighting for opportunities.
Stanlake blow sours Aussie series win | 01:16
Johnson was the better of the two against Zimbabwe, with both playing in two of the three matches after being replaced by Billy Stanlake and Josh Hazlewood for the second game of the series.
Johnson finished with three wickets across his two appearances, while Bartlett managed just one for the series and went wicketless in the final match.
Stanlake is another name who will be in the mix, but an oblique injury saw him leave the field early in the second match before being ruled out of game three.
With Stanlake injured, Jack Edwards is expected to be called into the ODI squad for the series against South Africa, adding another name to Australia’s growing list of fast-bowling options.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, Australia’s depth of fast-bowling options will give selectors plenty to think about, but Ellis continues to make the most of every opportunity he gets.
PLAYER RATINGS: Aussie gun’s massive statement as Cup hopefuls shine; quick’s series to forget
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 towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Mitchell Marsh and Head opened throughout the three-match series against Zimbabwe, where the pair had mixed results.
After combining for just 10 runs in the opening match, Head and Marsh responded with a 130-run partnership in game two as they raced Australia to a stellar start.
But the final match brought another early test, with both openers dismissed inside the opening four overs.
Those early wickets put pressure on Cooper Connolly at three to respond and stabilise the Australians, something the youngster was able to do throughout the series.
Much has been made of Head and his dismissals, with his first-match innings ending after he chopped onto his stumps, the fourth time he had been dismissed that way in four international 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 game earlier for the highest ODI score by an Australian against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe.
Head said the pair’s approach was simple as they looked to put Zimbabwe under pressure from the outset.
“It was nice to spend some time in the middle and spend some time out there with Mitch,” Head said following game two.
“We just tried to be aggressive and impact the game.“
It certainly had the desired effect, with Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza admitting the pair had put his side on the back foot.
“Credit to Travis and Mitch Marsh. They put us under pressure,” Raza said.
For Head, it was a similar knock to his 137 runs from 120 balls in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where he batted with the freedom which has made him one of the best batters in the world.
Both Head and Marsh are established ODI players, with the experience and leadership to handle the new ball and build a strong innings for Australia.
Australia have experimented with other opening combinations when Marsh and Head have been out of the side, with Josh Inglis, Cooper Connolly and Matt Short among those taking on the responsibility in recent series.
But with the 2027 ODI World Cup now getting closer, the Zimbabwe series gave Australia another look at the Marsh-Head combination and showed just how damaging the pair can be when they get going.
Head tons up as Aussies win series | 02:08
WHO ARE THE WALK-UP STARTERS FOR 2027?
Five players could be considered as near walk-up starters for the 2027 ODI World Cup off the back of the Zimbabwe series.
Those five names are Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis and Adam Zampa.
Four of the five were part of the 2023 ODI World Cup-winning side, with Connolly the only one not to make the team.
For those five, and particularly after this series, it is hard to see them not being firmly in Australia’s plans for 2027.
Marsh is the team’s captain currently and boasts a wealth of experience, while Head has shown his bad can be matched by a record-breaking good.
Zampa will go down as one of the best spinners Australia has seen at ODI level, while Josh Inglis appears to have moved ahead of Alex Carey as the starting wicketkeeper in the format.
For Inglis, the third match was exactly what he needed following two poor games with the bat.
Zimbabwe v Australia: 2nd ODI Highlights | 15:43
“It was a difficult couple of games, I was disappointed with my output but to get a score and help us win a game today, I’m happy,” Inglis said following game three.
“I was going well until that lapse in concentration.”
Then there is Connolly.
Despite being just 23 years old, Connolly has shown a level of maturity rarely seen from someone his age and, with his natural progression and development, could become one of Australia’s most important players at the World Cup.
But when looking past this current team, where else are some of the walk-up starters?
You would suspect fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc would be firmly in Australia’s plans if fit, along with Steve Smith if he wishes to play another World Cup.
But then the rest of the field emerges and the squeeze firms up.
Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Matt Short, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Josh Hazlewood, Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson are among those fighting for spots.
The batting group arguably has the most questions, with David Warner and Glenn Maxwell leaving huge holes from the last World Cup.
Labuschagne’s recent ODI form hasn’t helped his case, with just two scores above 20 in his past eight matches.
Then there is Renshaw, who showed his very best in this series.
The 30-year-old started the series on fire with 109 from 94 balls but was unable to continue that form across the remaining two matches.
Captain Mitchell Marsh was full of praise for Renshaw’s performance following the opening game.
“I thought the way Alex Carey and Matt Renshaw built that partnership was fantastic and Matty’s innings was brilliant,” Marsh said.
Hazlewood presents a different question.
The experienced quick was managed throughout the Zimbabwe series, with his only appearance coming in game two as he returned to the ODI format for the first time since October 2025.
His figures were solid with 2/48, helping clean up the Zimbabwe tail with both wickets coming in the same over.
The squeeze for spots is going to be an interesting watch, and even young guns including Ollie Peake have the opportunity to find their way into the team ahead of some of the more experienced campaigners.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au
