Australia steamroll Zimbabwe in series opener

Aug 25, 2014

Zimbabwe won the toss in the first game of the tri-series, against Australia in Harare, and opted to bowl•Associated Press

Opening alongside Finch, Brad Haddin had a hushed start before he, too, opened up against the spinners•AFP

However, the game spun rapidly out of Zimbabwe's control when Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell came together at the fall of George Bailey's wicket•AFP

The pair's fireworks helped Australia amass 147 in the last 10 overs to reach 350 for 6•AFP

Sikandar Raza and Hamilton Masakadza then put up a doughty 63-run partnership to try and set up a base for Zimbabwe's chase•AFP

...But he was stumped for 70 to become Steven Smith's first wicket•AFP

Australia made a quiet start, but Aaron Finch soon broke the shackles with a few big hits•AFP

Finch and Haddin put on a solid 98 before Haddin was dismissed for 46 by Elton Chigumbura•Associated Press

The pair added 109 in just nine overs, slamming sixes and fours all around the ground to lead Australia towards a mammoth total. Marsh scored his maiden ODI fifty...•AFP

Tendai Chatara picked up two wickets but conceded 77 runs•AFP

Nathan Lyon broke that stand by dismissing Raza for 33 and Zimbabwe lost Brendan Taylor, Chigumbura and Sean Williams quickly•AFP

Smith finished with 3 for 16 to help dismiss Zimbabwe for 152. The 198-run win also secured a bonus point for Australia•AFP

Although he finished wicketless, Prosper Utseya managed to introduce a lull in Australia's run-scoring•AFP

...While Maxwell scored his highest international score - 93 off 46 balls - pulling out some unorthodox shots from his repertoire•AFP

Zimbabwe's chase got off to a poor start when Mitchell Starc dismissed Tino Mawoyo for 1 in the second over•AFP

Masakadza was the only Zimbabwe batsman to resist...•AFP