Zimbabwe
Australia
Zimbabwe and Australia will meet in the second ODI of the series at Harare Sports Club. Australia will enter the match with a 1-0 lead after winning the opening game by 59 runs. They will have set a target of 295 before bowling Zimbabwe out for 235, with Zimbabwe losing wickets regularly during the chase.
Both teams will come into this match with similar recent records, having won two and lost three of their last five matches. Australia will have a slight advantage in the recent head-to-head record, having won three of the last five meetings, while Zimbabwe will have won two.
The chasing team will have won four of those five matches, excluding the first ODI of this series. Zimbabwe will need stronger partnerships at the top, while Australia will look to maintain their advantage and take a 2-0 series lead.
Nathan Ellis took 5/31 in the first ODI and has taken 16 wickets in his last 8 ODI matches, making him a strong wicket-taking option with key bowlers missing from the Australian squad.
The betting tip is...
Nathan Ellis - Over 1.5 wickets
63 %
37 %
ZimbabweAustraliaZimbabwe were bowled out for 235 in 45.1 overs in the first ODI. Craig Ervine top-scored with 59 off 60 balls, while Sikandar Raza made 57 off 76.
Brian Bennett added 25, but Zimbabwe lost four wickets for 62 runs before Ervine and Raza added 98 for the fifth wicket. Newman Nyamhuri was the standout bowler with 5/62, while Brad Evans took 2/51.
Ben Curran enters the match with 456 runs at an average of 57 and a strike rate of 76.63 in his last 10 matches. Sikandar Raza has 332 runs at 41.5 and a strike rate of 81.17 in 10 matches. Blessing Muzarabani had taken 11 wickets at an economy of 4.79 in 8 matches, while Brad Evans had 9 wickets at 5.09 in 6 matches.
Ervine, Nyamhuri and Raza are the key players in the team.
Predicted Lineup: Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Brendan Taylor (wk), Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza (c), Wessly Madhevere, Brad Evans, Newman Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani
Australia scored 294/8 in 50 overs in the first ODI, with Matt Renshaw making 109 off 94 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes. Cooper Connolly added 51 off 46, while Mitchell Marsh scored 36 off 28.
Mitchell Marsh played his 100th ODI in the last match, which is a significant milestone. Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green continued their recovery on the sidelines in the last match. The team management is judging their involvement.
Nathan Ellis led the bowling attack with 5/31 from 9.1 overs at an economy rate of 3.38. Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett took a wicket each. Expect a few changes in the bowling unit. Australia’s recent form has included 2 wins and 3 losses in their last 5 matches.
Head, Zampa and Ellis are the key players in the team.
Predicted Lineup: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Matt Renshaw, Ollie Peake, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa and Spencer JohnsonAustralia will have the stronger bowling attack heading into the second ODI, with Nathan Ellis coming off a five-wicket haul in the opening match. He took 5/31 in 9.1 overs, while his recent record also shows 16 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 4.76. Zimbabwe will need to improve after being bowled out for 235 in the first ODI, but their middle order will have shown that it can fight back. Australia’s bowlers will be expected to create pressure again, especially against Zimbabwe’s top order. Ellis will have another opportunity to make an impact with the ball and could play a key role in restricting Zimbabwe’s scoring.
Australia will have the stronger bowling attack heading into the second ODI, with Nathan Ellis coming off a five-wicket haul in the opening match. He took 5/31 in 9.1 overs, while his recent record also shows 16 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 4.76.
Zimbabwe will need to improve after being bowled out for 235 in the first ODI, but their middle order will have shown that it can fight back. Australia’s bowlers will be expected to create pressure again, especially against Zimbabwe’s top order. Ellis will have another opportunity to make an impact with the ball and could play a key role in restricting Zimbabwe’s scoring.
