Renshaw and Ellis star in Australia’s 59-run win over Zimbabwe in 1st ODI

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Matt Renshaw smashed his maiden ODI century and fast bowler Nathan Ellis grabbed 5-31 in Australia’s 59-run win over Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Renshaw’s 109 off 94 balls was complemented by Cooper Connolly’s 51 that gave Australia a total of 294-8 in its first one-day cricket international in Zimbabwe in 12 years.

Ellis picked up two wickets in his first over and then got the vital wicket of top-scorer Craig Ervine (59) in his return spell as Zimbabwe got bowled out for 235 in 45.1 overs to give Australia 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Skipper Sikandar Raza made 57 off 76 balls, but when Spencer Johnson clean bowled him with a perfect yorker in the 36th over, it took the game out of Zimbabwe’s range.

Zimbabwe ran into early trouble through Ellis’ twin strikes in the ninth over and then further slipped to 62-4 in the 14th over when Brendan Taylor holed out off Renshaw’s off-spin. Taylor, one of the three players from Zimbabwe’s famous win when Australia last played an ODI in Zimbabwe in 2014, was brilliantly snapped by Josh Inglis behind the wickets.

Ervine and Raza shared a 98-run stand off 104 balls that gave the home team glimmer of hope before Ellis knocked back the off stump of Evans in the 31st over and also accounted for the wickets of two tail-enders.

Earlier, Renshaw rebuilt Australia from a tricky 107-4 in the 18th over by sharing partnerships of 72 and 74 runs with Alex Carey (27) and Oliver Peake (30) after captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to bat.

Raza wanted to field first on a wicket that had plenty of grass covering, but Australian batters were quick to punish the short balls early on.

Travis Head (4) played on Brad Evans back onto his stumps off the fifth ball he faced, but Marsh, who scored 36 off 28 balls, and Connolly continued to score at a brisk pace in the power play. Marsh smashed six fours and a six before he couldn’t clear Brian Bennett at covers to give 20-year-old left-arm seamer Newman Nyamhuri (5-62) his first wicket.

Renshaw rotated the strike well by running 49 singles and seven twos in his brilliant knock that also featured seven boundaries and three sixes.

Nyamhuri could have dismissed Connolly on 41 but Bennett dropped a sitter and then got a second life when he was caught behind of Raza’s no-ball and then completed his half century off a free hit before he was clean bowled by Raza soon after.

Zimbabwe continued to miss out on chances and Renshaw on 12 was dropped by Ervine at mid-wicket off Raza’s another no-ball before he completed his half-century off 55 balls but gained pace to reach his century off the next 33.

Nyamhuri celebrated his maiden five-wicket haul in the final over when Renshaw mistimed a shot on the leg-side and was caught at deep mid-wicket as Australia scored 66 runs in the final 10 overs.

The series is part of defending champion Australia’s preparations for next year’s World Cup. Regular captain Pat Cummins is being rested for the three ODIs against Zimbabwe before he joins the team in South Africa for three ODIs and test matches.

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