Australia rolled for lowest ODI score against Zimbabwe in historic three-wicket defeat

Australia has been rolled for its lowest team score against Zimbabwe in ODI history, with only two players reaching double figures.

Australia's batsman Alex Carey walks off after being dismissed by Zimbabwe's Brad Evans. Photo by William WEST / AFP

Australia has suffered its first loss to Zimbabwe in ODI cricket on home soil after a horror batting collapse in the series finale at Townsville’s Riverway Stadium.

Zimbabwe stunned the Aussies in a massive upset on Saturday, chasing the 142-run target in 39 overs with three wickets in hand to avoid a series whitewash.

It’s only the third time Zimbabwe has defeated Australia in the 50-over format.

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Leg-spinner Ryan Burl became the first Zimbabwean to claim a five-wicket haul in ODIs against Australia, finishing with career-best figures of 5/10 from three overs to steam through the lower order.

The Australians were plagued by poor shot selection in the third ODI, needlessly going on the attack early in their knock and throwing their wicket away cheaply.

Only two Aussie players reached triple figures in the forgettable batting performance, which comes as a timely reality check ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The tired Townsville pitch was admittedly seaming with some variable bounce, but that didn’t excuse the hosts from being bowled out for 141 in 31 overs.

It marks the first time Zimbabwe, who sit 13th on the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings, has taken 10 wickets in a 50-over match against Australia.

“There’s no excuses,” veteran opener David Warner told reporter after the loss.

“We obviously should have applied a bit more discipline and gotten up to at least 200.

“You have to put it down to some lazy dismissals and the odd good ball.”

Australia’s lowest ODI team totals against Zimbabwe

141 – Townsville, 2022

209/9 – Harare, 2014

225/8 – Sydney, 2004

235/9 – Chennai, 1987

Zimbabwe's Brad Evans celebrates with his teammates, Photo by William WEST / AFP-

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Zimbabwe’s seamers claimed three wickets in the Powerplay to rattle the Australian camp.

Skipper Aaron Finch was the first domino to fall, edging a Richard Ngarava delivery to second slip and making his way back to the sheds for 5.

It was almost identical to his dismissal in the previous ODI, tentatively prodding outside the off stump with unbalanced footwork.

Steve Smith was then left red-faced after leaving a Victor Nyauchi delivery that smacked into his front pad – the former Australian captain sheepishly walked back to the sheds after Hawkeye replays showed the Kookaburra would have crashed into his middle stump.

And Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey didn’t last much longer, wildly swinging at a Brad Evans delivery that flicked the outside edge, departing for 4.

The Aussies were suddenly 3/31 in the ninth over, but the carnage was far from over, with all-rounder Marcus Stoinis feathering a catch to Zimbabwe skipper Regis Chakabva for 3.

And young prodigy Cameron Green followed soon after, chipping a delivery from Zimbabwe veteran Sean Williams directly to the cover fielder to leave Australia reeling at 5/72.

As wickets continued to tumble around him, Warner proved his class by bringing up a 26th ODI half-century in the 15th over, reaching the minor milestone in 47 deliveries.

He combined with Glenn Maxwell for a crucial 57-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Maxwell became Burl’s first victim in the 27th over.

Warner departed in the 29th over, scooping Burl into the outfield on 94 to fall agonisingly short of his long-awaited century.

The Zimbabwe tweaker then toppled the Australian tail, taking five wickets in 15 deliveries to complete the historic demolition.

Best men’s ODI bowling figures by a spinner in Australia

6/42 – Yuzvendra Chahal (IND) vs AUS, 2019

5/10 – Ryan Burl (ZIM) vs AUS, 2022

5/15 – Ravi Shastri (IND) vs AUS, 1991

5/29 – Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) vs AUS, 1996

5/32 – Brad Hogg (AUS) vs WI, 2005

Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl acknowledges the crowd. Photo by William WEST / AFP

“Australia will probably be hurting from this,” former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith told Fox Cricket during the innings break.

“Pretty average performance to be fair … it was so un-Australian, so un-dominating as you would expect them to be over Zimbabwe.

“It’s so out of character.”

Warner was responsible for nearly 67 per cent of Australia’s runs, the second-highest percentage of individual runs in an innings in men’s ODIs.

Highest percentage of team runs by an individual in a men’s ODI innings

69.48 per cent – Viv Richards vs ENG, 1984

66.67 per cent – David Warner vs ZIM, 2022

65.78 per cent – Kapil Dev vs ZIM, 1983

65.34 per cent – Rohit Sharma vs SL, 2014

64.25 per cent – Tony Ura vs IRE, 2018

In response, Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Tadiwanashe Marumani combined for a 38-run opening partnership before Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood struck three times in quick succession.

Zimbabwe lost 3/6 in 15 balls, with Hazlewood at one point finding himself on a hat-trick – but his third delivery flew safely through to the wicketkeeper.

Stoinis and Green both snared wickets to swing momentum back in Australia’s favour, but Zimbabwe captain Regis Chakabva and Tony Munyonga steadied the ship, soaking up 77 deliveries and combining for a 38-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Finch put down a tough chance at first slip in 27th over off Adam Zampa’s bowling, gifting Munyonga an extra life on 7.

But spinner Ashton Agar removed Munyonga in the 32nd over to make the equation 27 runs required with four wickets in hand.

And things only got worse for Australia.

The moment Zimbabwe made history! #AUSvZIMpic.twitter.com/NfGA9zxT4W

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 3, 2022

This is huge!!!!!!!!
Zimbabwe beating a full-strength Australia in Australia!!!#AUSvZIM#ZIMvAUS

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 3, 2022

Congratulations Zimbabwe! Australia's worst ODI loss? #AUSvZIM

— Andrew Faulkner (@AndrewFaulkner9) September 3, 2022

After burning their two successful reviews, Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc found the outside edge of Burl’s bat in the 37th over, only for umpire Rod Tucker to shake his head.

The left-armer thankfully got his man later in the over, becoming the fastest cricketer to 200 wickets in men’s ODIs.

But it was too little too late for the Australians – Zimbabwe comfortably knocked off the rest of the target to secure the famous victory, with skipper Chakabva finishing unbeaten on 37.

Indian legend Virender Sehwag tweeted: “Wow! Feels good when an underdog does well. Zimbabwe beating a full strength Australian side in Australia. Not that anywhere else would have been lesser, but at home beating Australia has to be one of the biggest upsets in history of ODI cricket. Well done Zimbabwe.”

Fastest to 200 wickets in men’s ODIs

102 matches – Mitchell Starc (AUS)

104 matches – Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK)

112 matches – Brett Lee (AUS)

117 matches – Allan Donald (RSA)

118 matches – Waqar Younis (PAK)

Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton said: “I still think the gulf is huge, to be honest with you I think if we had lost the toss today we would have seen a result similar to the second game.

“We would struggle to beat your state sides on a good day, but we are growing and hopefully we grow quite quickly. With the amount of cricket that we are starting to play and the fact we are starting to get a few results like this, the wins against Bangladesh in two series, we played quite well against India and nearly won the third game against them, a win here. It’s really good in reinforcing what we are trying to do with the team in their tactics and the skills that they have.

“There’s nothing worse than working really hard and getting no reward for it, so it’s nice to get these little reward top ups to show the guys that what they’re doing is right.”