Head's first ton since Ashes fires Aussies to 6-356

Travis Head's first century since last summer's Ashes fired Australia to their highest ever ODI total against Zimbabwe.

After a sequence of four consecutive chop-on dismissals that begun in last month's Tests against Bangladesh, Head returned to form with a brutal 84-ball 112 featuring 15 fours and three sixes that took his side to 6-356 from their 50 overs.

The left-hander shared in a power-packed 130-run opening stand between with captain Mitch Marsh (53 from 63) before Cooper Connolly (78 off 69) continued his excellent white-ball run with his third straight fifty-plus ODI score.

Ollie Peake then gave another glimpse of his talent. The 20-year-old carted Brad Evans (3-86 from nine overs) for three final-over sixes in a blazing late cameo of 41 not out off 18 to take Australia to a tally they have bettered only once since the last ODI World Cup.

Head had needed just 32 balls to reach fifty and then 75 to bring up his eighth ODI hundred, celebrating with a series of cheeky gestures to the team dugout. He was finally out caught trying to hoist his fourth six, skying a catch off Wessly Madhevere's off-spin.

Zimbabwe were sloppy in the field – Marsh earnt a reprieve first ball of the game by Madhevere, before Newman Nyamhuri dropped a top-edged Matthew Renshaw hook in the death overs.

A dry Harare pitch slowed Australia's scoring somewhat through the middle overs – Wellington Masakadza (2-51 off nine) doing best to put the brakes on – though Connolly and Peake both cleared the fence three times to keep Australia's momentum going.

Josh Inglis popped a simple catch back to Masakadza to go for 21, while Alex Carey's batting struggles continued as he was caught at point for a second consecutive innings. After making 20 here, he has now passed 30 just once in his last 15 international innings.  

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

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