Twenty20 tri-series: Australia v Zimbabwe at Harare, live coverage

[Ulquiorra]

TWENTY20 TRI-SERIES, Australia v Zimbabwe at Harare — AUSTRALIA scraped home to beat Zimbabwe in the final group match of the tri-series.

Set a target of 152 to win, Australia won with a ball to spare after a middle-order collapse put victory in danger.

A 103-run stand between Glenn Maxwell (56 off 38) and Travis Head (48 off 42) seemed to have Australia cruising towards victory after the the tourists had got off to a shaky start of 2-26. But when Maxwell fell softly to Blessing Muzarabani in the 17th over the game came to life, with Australia sliding from 2-129 to 5-139, leaving two new batsmen — Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Agar — to get the job done.

Fortunately for Australia, Agar and Stoinis held their nerve to see the team home.

An over after Maxwell perished he was joined in the pavilion by Nic Maddinson (2), who strangled a pull shot off Donald Tiripano straight to short fine leg. Head then compounded the issue by driving Muzarabani straight down the throat of long-on, bringing Agar out to the middle.

Things nearly got even worse for Australia, with Stoinis skying the very next delivery straight down the ground. Wellington Masakadza did well to take the catch in the deep, but had to throw the ball back into the field of play before crossing the ropes.

It proved costly for Zimbabwe, with Stoinis hitting a four off the penultimate ball of the game to finish the match.

Aaron Finch was out for two to Masakadza in the third over and Alex Carey (16) was caught behind in the fifth off Muzarabani.

THE SERIES SO FAR

Sent out to field after losing the toss, Australi got off to the perfect start thanks to Billy Stanlake who had Cephas Zhuwao (0) caught behind with the innings’ very first ball.

Things could have been even better for Australia an over later, when Jhye Richardson had captain Hamilton Masakadza dropped at deep third man by debutant Jack Wildermuth.

In the side for the axed Short, Wildermuth’s error did not cost Australia too dearly with Masakadza chopping on for 13 in Richardson’s next over.

The all-rounder redeemed himself four overs after the drop, taking a fine diving catch off the bowling of Stanlake to remove Tarisai Musakanda (12), leaving Zimbabwe at 3-44 in the sixth over.

Solomon Mire and Peter Moor (30) rebuilt from there, putting on a 68-run stand before the latter perished to Richardson in the 16th over.

Some late hitting from Mire (63 off 52) and Malcolm Waller (13 off 6) then dragged Zimbabwe to a competitive total. Andrew Tye (3-28 off 4.0) was once again Australia’s best bowler, but Stanlake (2-21 off 4.0) and Richardson (2-32 off 4.0) both impressed after tough days out against Pakistan on Thursday.

Australia will face Pakistan in the final on Sunday.