Renshaw, Ellis get Aussies' African adventure off to winning start

The surest sign of Matthew Renshaw becoming a consistent all-format threat came in the opening match of Australia's African adventure, the left-hander's first international hundred in a decade firing his side to a 59-run win over Zimbabwe at the heaving Harare Sports Club.

Batting at six in the series-opening ODI, Renshaw pooped the public-holiday party called for the Zimbabwe President's birthday as his sparkling 94-ball 109 fired the Aussies to 8-294. Newman Nyamhuri (5-64) took his maiden five-for, the raw 20-year-old left-arm quick overcoming a wayward start and late-innings cramps.

But the sweet scent of grilling T-bone steaks and spiced chicken from the lively Castle Corner failed to inspire the hosts to victory as Nathan Ellis (5-31) took his maiden international five-for and delivered the afternoon's telling blow.

Having taken two wickets in his opening over, Ellis then needed three more balls of a fresh spell in the warm afternoon's golden glow to end a resolute 98-run stand between Craig Ervine (59 off 60) and Sikandar Raza, rattling the former's off-stump with a stunning delivery. Spencer Johnson all but sealed the result when he clean bowled the hobbled Raza, who struggled with an apparent right knee injury towards the end of his 76-ball knock.  

It was not a totally convincing bowling and fielding effort from Mitch Marsh's men in their first of six one-dayers over the coming fortnight. A more notable deficiency than the absence of the Big Three first-choice quicks was the lack of a genuine fifth bowler after allrounder Cameron Green was rested due to a shoulder complaint, while Ellis putting down a skied chance off Brad Evans was an unusual slip-up.

Ultimately the visitors held their nerve, thanks in no small part to Ellis who now has 15 wickets at 14.60 from six ODIs this year and has all but bowled himself into Australia's World Cup squad next year.

Renshaw's maiden ODI ton – coming after Mitch Marsh (36 off 28) and Cooper Connolly (51 off 46) failed to convert promising starts – was also Australia's first from No.6 or below since Glenn Maxwell's miracle double-ton against Afghanistan in 2023.

The 30-year-old cleverly manipulated their spinners' fields with sweeps and reverse sweeps, ran hard when hitting to the ground's big square boundaries, while striking a series of commanding straight blows. His third six hit the roof of the changerooms to bring up his half-century.

But it was not until he passed triple-figures in the closing stages of the innings did he allow himself a proper smile, the moment marking his first century in an Australian shirt since his 184 as a fresh-faced opener against Pakistan in the 2017 SCG Test.

Renshaw has insisted his white-ball emergence is a boon for his long-form opening credentials. If so, it bodes well for next month's Tests in South Africa after his dominating hand against their northern neighbours on Tuesday.

His day out continued when he added to his strangely effective emergence as a wicket taker with his off-spin, Brendan Taylor becoming his latest victim to leave Zimbabwe's chase in tatters at 4-62.

Both Xavier Barltett and Ellis had also been immediately effective; Bartlett had Ben Curran caught at mid-off from his second ball, while Ellis nicked off the dangerous Brian Bennett who followed Innocent Kaia back courtesy of a diving Alex Carey catch in the same over.

While Ervine and Raza's half-centuries kept Zimbabwe abreast of the required rate, their exits proved terminal.

Marsh had earlier franked a surprise call to bat first at the toss – he was only the second captain to do so in the ground's past 25 ODIs – by teeing off on an easy-paced surface before flaying a Nyamhuri half-tracker to cover point.

Connolly backed up his 149 against Bangladesh in his most recent ODI in June with another rollicking knock, but departed in Raza's first over amid an eventful and at times exasperating morning for the Zimbabwe captain.

The spinner had nicked off Connolly with his first ball only for a review to show he overstepped. Ervine later dropped Renshaw off his bowling from another no-ball.

But the frustrated Raza fully cracked it when a third no-ball was called against him, this time because only three fielders were inside the 30-yard circle; his rage heightened when it turned out the missing fielder, substitute Ryan Burl, had not even been on the ground.

And from having Australia's entire top four dismissed inside the first 20 overs – Travis Head out chopping on for a fourth consecutive international innings, while Josh Inglis fell victim to a one-hander from 41-year-old wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor – Zimbabwe fancied giving their lively fans an afternoon to savour.

Renshaw put paid to that with 72- and 75-run unions with Alex Carey (who struggled to find his touch taking 53 balls to make 27) and Ollie Peake (a more fluent 30 off 40) respectively, the latter becoming the first Australian man to be out hit-wicket in an ODI since Allan Border in 1987.

Australia XI: Mitch Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Matthew Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson

 

Zimbabwe XI: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor (wk), Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza (c), Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani 

Qantas tour of Zimbabwe 2026

All matches broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: Australia beat Zimbabwe by 59 runs

Second ODI: September 18, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Third ODI: September 20, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (c), Ben Curran, Blessing Muzarabani, Brad Evans, Brendan Taylor, Brian Bennett, Craig Ervine, Ernest Masuku, Graeme Cremer, Innocent Kaia, Newman Nyamhuri, Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Wessly Madhevere

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa