Aus vs Zim: Blasting at Bellerive
Friday, January 16 2004
Australia have completed their third straight win in this summer's VB Series thanks to a demolition job from Adam Gilchrist with the bat.
Ricky Ponting, buoyed by the prospect of a match as Australian captain in front of his home crowd in Hobart, won the toss and had no hesitation to bat on a flat Bellerive wicket.
From the early stages, Australia set a blistering tempo - openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden each showed intent against a Zimbabwean attack low on confidence following two average displays thus far in the series.
The first wicket to fall was that of Hayden when he gave Heath Streak a first wicket, caught by Vusi Sibanda after making 63 with the score at 140.
Yet the Zimbabweans were not spared, with Ponting stepping out to the crease and adding 106 with Gilchrist.
In the meantime, Gilchrist reached his 10th ODI hundred as tension mounted with the ease at which he scored his runs - a double hundred, with over 15 overs to go, was by no means out of the question.
Ponting (37) became the second wicket to fall, mistiming a drive from Grant Flower to be caught on the mid-off fence by Stewart Matsikenyeri.
Joined by Damien Martyn at the crease, Gilchrist plundered towards and beyond his highest ODI score of 154.
On 172, with a double hundred for the taking, a combination of wild swinging and solid bowling gave Sean Ervine his first wicket of the innings, clean bowling the damaging left hander with 5 overs remaining.
His innings included 13 fours and 3 sixes from just 126 balls.
Next ball, Andrew Symonds was needlessly run out for a duck, soon followed by Michael Bevan who was caught by Streak for 7.
New sensation Michael Clarke became the second duck of the innings when he picked out Mark Vermeulen on the boundary from Streak, while 2 balls later Andy Bichel was clean bowled for 0.
Brad Hogg finished the innings on 6, while Damien Martyn showed signs of his best form with an unbeaten 47 from 39 balls.
For Zimbabwe, Heath Streak finished with 3/50, Sean Ervine 2/65 and Grant Flower his 100th ODI wicket.
In reply, Zimbabwe elected to shut up shop before opening time, with Vusi Sibanda and Mark Vermeulen (both 1) edging to Adam Gilchrist from Brett Lee and Brad Williams respectively.
Dion Ebrahim and Grant Flower slowly set about restoring respectability before Ebrahim feathered a short Andy Symonds ball to Adam Gilchrist behind the stumps, making 21 from 43 balls.
Brad Hogg's return to international cricket proved an instant success, claiming Sean Ervine with his second ball when the batsman edged to Andy Bichel on 8.
Flower and Heath Streak then set about surviving the remaining allotted overs before a ludicrous run out to Brad Hogg, with Flower on 40.
Joined by Tatenda Taibu at the crease, Streak reached another ODI fifty, taking a particular liking to Symonds when he clubbed 2 sixes off as many balls.
Taibu, despite another promising innings, holed out in the last over to Andy Bichel for a well-made 44. By this stage, an Australian victory was already assured.
Streak finished the innings unbeaten on 64, while Matsikenyeri made 1 before the 50 overs were completed.
For the Australians, all bowlers maintained a tight economy rate, with Brett Lee taking 1/29 off his 10 to be the most miserly of the attack.
Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brad Williams and Andrew Symonds all took a wicket each.
Final Scores
Australia 7/344 (A Gilchrist 172, M Hayden 63, D Martyn 47*; H Streak 3/50)
Zimbabwe 6/196 (H Streak 64*, T Taibu 44, G Flower 40; B Williams 1/25)
Australia won by 148 runs.
Cricket Web Player-of-the-Match: Adam Gilchrist.
Points: Australia 6.
Posted by Andre
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