Australia 294 for 8 (Renshaw 109, Connolly 51, Nyamhuri 5-62) beat Zimbabwe 235 (Ervine 59, Raza 57, Ellis 5-31) by 59 runs
Australia's southern African early summer began with success as they beat Zimbabwe by 59 runs in an entertaining first ODI in Harare. Matt Renshaw's first ODI hundred took them to a competitive total on a good batting track. Then it was over to Nathan Ellis, who varied his pace, hit good lengths and found late movement to claim a career-best 5 for 31 to ensure Zimbabwe could not chase it down.
But the visitors weren't the only ones celebrating significant milestones. Newman Nyamhuri, the 20-year-old left-arm seamer, bagged a career-best 5 for 62 and became the youngest Zimbabwean to take an ODI five-for at 20 years and 239 days old. At the opposite end of the age spectrum, 40-year-old Brendan Taylor became the player with the longest ODI career - of 22 years and 148 days - beating Sachin Tendulkar.
Despite the result, Zimbabwe were in the contest at various stages, including at the very start. They got a wicket in the second over when Travis Head played Brad Evans into his stumps to record his fourth successive drag-on. Zimbabwe had Australia 10 for 1 but could not sustain the pressure. Evans and Blessing Muzarabani routinely offered too much width or bowled too short as Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly hit eight fours and a six between them in the first eight overs.
The first bowling change separated them. With his eye in, Marsh smashed Nyamhuri to Brian Bennett at cover to depart for 36. Nyamhuri got a second thanks to Taylor, who went full stretch to his right to take a one-handed catch off a Josh Inglis edge. From there, Zimbabwe were able to take some control of proceedings.
Three boundary-less overs followed, including the introduction of spin in the form of Sikandar Raza. Nyamhuri should then have had Connolly, on 41, caught at midwicket but Bennett spilled the chance. Connolly got a second life when he was caught behind off a Raza no-ball and rubbed salt into that wound when he sent Raza's free hit sailing over long-off to bring up his fifty. However, Connolly's fun ended two balls later when Raza beat his outside edge and bowled him to leave Australia wobbling on 107 for 4.
But Raza's problems with over-stepping continued, and continued to cost Zimbabwe. He produced another opportunity when Renshaw, on 12, sent a low full-toss to midwicket where Craig Ervine dropped it. Australia were 147 for 4 at the halfway stage, with the scoring rate pulled back to under six runs an over and the innings was delicately placed. Raza, Bennett and Wellington Masakadza showed good control for the most part but occasionally tossed it up too much and Renshaw cased in. His first six came off Bennett, as he got down on one knee to send him over midwicket; the next was off Masakadza and landed on the stadium roof.
Renshaw's partnership with Carey had grown to 72 when Raza brought Evans back in search of a wicket and he delivered as Carey sliced him to gully. Renshaw brought up his fifty when he hit Masakadza onto the roof again, off the 55th ball he faced, and took on Evans. With Ollie Peake at the other end, he rotated the strike well and took Australia to 228 for 5 with 10 overs to go, and 300 well within sight.
Peake worked hard for his 30-ball 40 before he stood on his stumps to be dismissed hit wicket. Nyamhuri picked up his fourth when Xavier Bartlett offered a simple chance for Ervine to redeem himself at cover. Renshaw was on 96 at the time, with four overs remaining and three wickets in hand. He got a single and two runs off Muzarabani before a single off an Evans full toss brought him the hundred, warm applause and much joy. Renshaw's second fifty came off 33 balls.
Renshaw soon handed over the celebratory baton to Nyamhuri, who he sent high into the leg side in the final over. The last 10 overs brought just 66 runs, and one boundary in the final seven.
Zimbabwe had only successfully chased totals higher than their target five times before but three at Harare Sports Club, so they would not have felt the task was beyond them. However, they started badly when Ben Curran hit Bartlett straight to Ellis at mid-off for a second-ball duck. Bennett could have followed three overs later when he slashed Spencer Johnson to backward point but Connolly could not hold on.
Their nerves continued when Innocent Kaia was given out lbw to Bartlett at the start of his fourth over but reviewed and ball-tracking showed it was going over leg stump. Kaia only lasted into the next over when he was deceived by an Ellis slower ball that he flicked to midwicket where Carey took a good, low catch. At the end of that over, Bennett got a faint edge to Inglis and at 46 for 3 after nine overs, Zimbabwe's fight did not seem up to much.
Renshaw's dream day continued when he had a tentative looking Taylor caught at long-on and it was left to Raza and Craig Ervine to get Zimbabwe back on track. The senior pair paced themselves carefully as Australia rotated through their bowlers and did not allow them to settle.
Ervine took a liking to Renshaw and pulled him over midwicket for six and then a four but Raza took 20 balls before he hit his first boundary, which came with a cover drive off Adam Zampa. By the time Ervine got to fifty, from his 51st ball, Raza was on 36 off 42 and had increased his scoring rate considerably. The required run rate, though, was climbing.
At the end of 30 overs, Zimbabwe required a shade under seven runs an over. It was the right moment to bring Ellis back and it worked. The third ball of his second spell nipped away from Ervine and took out his off stump to end a 98-run fifth-wicket stand. Raza got to fifty soon after, but Zimbabwe needed him to bat through to have a chance. He was bowled by a well-directed Johnson yorker to leave Zimbabwe 114 runs away and with all their top six gone.
Zimbabwe lost Madhevere off the first ball of the 40th over and could only hope for an Evans finishing special, which never came. Ellis was held back for the death, had Masakadza out lbw and finished the innings by bowling Nyamhuri with a back of a length slower ball in the 46th over.
The second match in the series takes place on Friday.
