ZIM vs AUS

Mitchell Marsh (Australia Captain) - "Well, to me, it was a complete performance from the boys. Obviously, with the way Travis batted and the platform we were able to set for our middle order was great to see. It was great to see guys like Cooper Connolly and Peaky (Peake) stepping up and playing roles like that and then we had Big Billy go down. We had all-rounders, part timers stepping up in those conditions with the ball. So, overall, it was a complete performance and we will take that moving forward for the next 12 months. Haven't spoken to anyone yet regarding Billy's injury but hopefully he is fine and we will have him back in the side for the final game. " 

Travis Head (Australia) - "  It was a nice one to be out in the middle and spend some time in the conditions. It was a great game and had a good partnership with Mitchell. Had done a fair bit of training for the series. I have been fresh and taking it one game at a time. Not going to make runs in every game and it is a part and parcel of the game. But got going today and converted it into a big one. 

We have to be aggressive in the powerplay with myself, Mitch and Cooper. We put in the platform for the middle order. The run rate hasn't been an issue and a few less wickets this time which worked out perfectly. " 

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe Captain) -" I think it was the right decision to bowl first. The way the seamers bowled at the start and the carry was there in the surface. Credit to Mitch Marsh and Travis Head who did really well. They put our good balls away for boundaries. It was a good wicket but 350 was a bit too much. Once we were going after 350, getting to 270-280 can happen. 

We were slightly behind. We couldn't catch up despite wickets in hands. We didn't convert our starts as they kept picking up wickets. Many of our batters got to 30's and 40's but none of them converted it into a big one.  We need big 100's in ODI cricket to win. So we will need to learn and improve from there. " 

Zimbabwe 272 all out in 48.3 overs

Sikandar Raza 45(49) | Cooper Connolly 2/25
Brendan Taylor 39(40) | Matt Renshaw 2/44

Chasing 357, Zimbabwe never really got the platform they needed and were bowled out for 272 in 48.3 overs, going down by 84 runs. Brian Bennett and Ben Curran gave the innings a decent start, putting on 46 for the first wicket, but both fell in fairly similar fashion, cleaned up by Matt Renshaw as Australia's part-time spinner found early success. From there Innocent Kaia and Brendan Taylor tried to steady things, with Taylor looking fluent before also departing, caught behind off Oliver Peake.

During the middle overs of the innings, the experied duo of Ervine and Taylor put up a good 44 runs stand and it was followed by a 28 run stand between Ervine and Raza. Ervine looked well set before edging Adam Zampa to Mitchell Marsh, and Raza continued to anchor the innings, top-scoring for his side with a well-made 45. He kept finding boundaries and rotating strike, but wickets kept falling at the other end, and the required rate crept up as partners came and went quickly around him.

There was a brief flurry of aggression lower down the order when Wessly Madhevere smashed a quickfire cameo at a strike rate of 200,  briefly threatening to make things interesting with some clean hitting. But it proved to be too little, too late, as Josh Hazlewood returned to clean up the tail, removing both Newman Nyamhuri and Madhevere in quick succession to all but end the contest. Adam Zampa also chipped in with two wickets through the middle overs, showing good control despite going at a slightly expensive rate.

Zimbabwe were eventually all out with just over an over unused, Raza's dismissal in the final stages triggering the end as Cooper Connolly wrapped up the innings soon after. It was a below par batting performance overall despite a solid opening stand and a couple of fighting contributions from the senior pros. There was not enough support around Raza for him to seriously threaten Australia's total. With the bowling attack sharing wickets fairly evenly, Australia completed a comfortable 84-run win to close out the contest. 

48.3 Cooper Connolly to Blessing Muzarabani, THROUGH THE GATE AND THAT WILL BE ALL! AUSTRALIA WIN BY 84 RUNS! THEY GO 2-0 UP IN THE SERIES! Angled in from round the wicket by Connolly. Fuller and straight at the stumps. Muzarabani went for a big heave but he missed it completely. The ball snuck in through the gap in between the bat and the pad and smashed into the stumps. 

48.2 Cooper Connolly to Sikandar Raza, IN THE AIR AND TAKEN!! It was floated up and bowled outside off. Raza goes down the ground and finds the fielder in the deep at long off. Renshaw takes it easily. The 9th one goes down. Australia just need one more wicket to win. 

47.6 Adam Zampa to Sikandar Raza, full and bowled outside the line of off stump. Raza smashes it towards the deep extra cover region for a single. 

47.5 Adam Zampa to Wellington Masakadza, AERIAL AND SAFE! It was flighted up and bowled outside off. Zampa tried to go down the ground and got it towards the mid off region for a single. 

47.3 Adam Zampa to Sikandar Raza, full and right into the block hole around the middle stump line. Raza heaves it towards the mid wicket region for a single.