Townsville, Aug 31: Mitchell Starc took three early wickets to help restrict Zimbabwe to 96 runs and Steve Smith posted an unbeaten 47 as Australia won the second one-day cricket international by eight wickets Wednesday and clinched the three-match series.
Starc (3-24) bowled three wides in a wild opening over but quickly recovered his line and length to remove the top order and have Zimbabwe reeling at 14 for three.
Following his figures, the 32-year-old Starc is just one wicket short of becoming the sixth Australian bowler to reach 200 men’s ODI wickets even as the Kangaroos leap-frogged West Indies on the path to automatic qualification for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.
Starc led the charge here as Australia bundled out Zimbabwe for just 96 runs in 27.5 overs with the pacer accounting for Innocent Kaia, Wesley Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani in his first four overs and consigning the tourists to 14/3.
Allrounder Cameron Green held an outfield catch to remove Zimbabwe’s top scorer – Sean Williams for 29 off 45 deliveries – off Adam Zamper’s bowling and then took two wickets. Leg-spinner Zampa took the last two wickets as Zimbabwe was dismissed inside 28 overs.
Richard Ngarava removed openers David Warner (13) and Aaron Finch (1) in the third over to have Australia in trouble at 16-2 before Smith and Alex Carey (26) combined in an unbeaten 84-run third-wicket partnership to secure victory with 212 deliveries to spare.
Australia won the series-opening match by five wickets with 99 balls to spare. The third match will be played Saturday, also in Townsville. The series is being played in northern Queensland as part of the International Cricket Council’s Super League competition for ODIs. Both teams are preparing for the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup which starts in Australia on Oct 16. (Agencies)
