Hazlewood's Test build begins with Zimbabwe ODI return

Josh Hazlewood's tune-up for next month's South Africa Tests will begin in Harare after the fast bowler was named to play his first 50-over game in almost a year in Australia's second ODI against Zimbabwe.

Billy Stanlake also returns to the XI in a reshuffle of the seam attack that sees Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett miss out. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and inserted the visitors on a breezy but warm morning at Harare Sports Club.

Australia XI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Billy Stanlake

 

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

A fresh pitch has been cut next to the one Australia beat the hosts by 59 runs on in the series opener on Tuesday. Veteran Zimbabwe batter Craig Ervine suggested this track was drier when speaking to the host broadcaster on Friday morning.

The Aussies have made no secret of the fact their star pacemen are using these one-dayers in Zimbabwe and South Africa as physical preparation for the upcoming three Tests against the Proteas.

With Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to arrive in Durban next week, Hazlewood will start his build-up today having most recently played in last month's northern Australia series against Bangladesh. He has not featured for the ODI side since October last year.

Stanlake meanwhile is back having made his comeback from a seven-year international absence in June. The towering quick has battled injuries in recent years but his height and pace has seen him flagged as a possible Test prospect.

Cameron Green remains sidelined due to a sore shoulder but is understood to be firming for a return in the third ODI on Sunday. Australia insist there is no underlying injury with medical scans believed to have shown no structural damage.

Nathan Ellis said the Zimbabwe ODIs form important preparation for next year's World Cup being co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

"We come into this knowing what we've got coming up in the next year or so," said Ellis, who took his maiden international five-for in the first ODI.

"So there's a little bit of one eye on that, and trying to gather as much information about the facilities, about the players, and trying to make any improvements in the short term, but also one eye on the long term.

"With the way the (first ODI) wicket played, I feel like it's going to be a little bit of an attritional game where you've got to stay in the contest, be patient and reap the rewards later. It feels like a pretty good batting wicket."

Ervine suggested the home side had not been far away from toppling Australia in the first one-dayer after he put on 98 with Raza. Both veterans made half-centuries chasing 295 but the 40-year-old said one of them needed to go on to make a match-winning score.

"The rebuilding through that middle phase I thought was excellent between myself and 'Saki' (Raza)," Ervine said after his side had slumped to 4-62.

"I thought in order for us to really get close to winning that game, I think one of us needed to kick on – if not both of us. When you talk about getting in and making the difference, that was the opportunity that both of us missed.

"If both of us had grinded all the way through to the end, we would have had a really good chance of getting over the line."

A win here will give Australia just a second ODI series victory from their last seven campaigns.

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

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: September 24, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, 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, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster