Australia rolled for lowest score against Zimbabwe in ODI history

Australia have been rolled for their lowest team score against Zimbabwe in ODI history, with only two players reaching double figures in a series finale in Townsville today.

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

The Australian top order was plagued by poor shot selection in the third ODI, needlessly going on the attack and throwing their wicket away cheaply.

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.

"There was quite a bit of drift, which helped, and a lot of spin," Burl told Fox Cricket during the innings break.

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

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Zimbabwe's seamers claimed three wickets during 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 72-5.

As wickets continued to tumble around him, veteran opener David 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 knocked off the Australian tail, taking five wickets in 18 deliveries to complete the historic demolition.

"Australia will probably be hurting from this," former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith told Fox Cricket.

"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."

Australia's lowest ODI team totals against Zimbabwe:

141 – Townsville, 2022
209/9 – Harare, 2014
225/8 – Sydney, 2004
235/9 – Chennai, 1987

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission