Travis Head century steers Australia to series-clinching 84-run win over Zimbabwe

Travis Head’s century steered Australia to a series-clinching 84-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international on Friday. Australia finished on 356-6 while Zimbabwe were bowled out for 272.

Head produced a rapid century, described in the report as a 75-ball hundred, and finished with 112 off 84 balls; his innings featured 15 fours and three sixes. Captain Mitchell Marsh contributed 53 — his 21st ODI half-century — and Cooper Connolly added 78, his third consecutive 50-plus score in the format, as Australia’s middle order accelerated late. Ollie Peake struck 41 off 18 balls, including 24 from Brad Evans’ final over that contained three sixes.

The Australian innings was propelled by a 130-run partnership between Head and Marsh, amassed off 114 deliveries after the openers raced to 0 for 62 inside eight overs, combining nine fours and two sixes in that period. Marsh reached his fifty with a pull for six off Wellington Masakadza and was out in the next over, bowled by the left-arm spinner. Head brought up his hundred midway through the innings with a single and was later dismissed when he skied a slower delivery from Wessly Madhevere to cover point.

Zimbabwe’s chase never gained momentum despite five of their top six scorers reaching 30 or more; Sikandar Raza top-scored with 45, Brendan Taylor made 39 and Craig Ervine 38. Adam Zampa finished with 2 for 62, including a superb googly that bowled Innocent Kaia for 34 to claim his 200th ODI wicket, and also induced Ervine to be caught at short third man by Marsh. Cooper Connolly’s 2 for 25 sealed the win with two wickets in successive balls, Raza slicing to long off before No. 11 Blessing Muzarabani was bowled.

Josh Hazlewood returned figures of 2 for 48 and, along with Billy Stanlake, was one of two changes Australia made from the first game; Stanlake departed with a side strain in his fifth over. Matt Renshaw removed openers Brian Bennett (23) and Ben Curran (30) in his first two overs, while Muzarabani finished with 0 for 68 and Newman Nyamhuri, who had taken five wickets in the opening match, recorded 0 for 37. Brad Evans ended with 3 for 86 for Zimbabwe.

Australia, playing ODIs in Zimbabwe for the first time in 12 years, had won the opening match by 59 runs and now hold the series after this victory; the teams meet again in the third and final one-day international on Sunday, when the tourists are expected to complete a series sweep.