Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\nAn iconic century for Head v Zimbabwe | 06:18<\/p>\n
Travis Head smashed multiple records on his way to 112 off 84 balls, including the fastest ODI century by an Australian against Zimbabwe.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
He took the record of highest ODI score from teammate Matt Renshaw, whose 109-run performance in game one stood for just three days.<\/p>\n
For captain Mitch Marsh post-game, the victory stemmed from a \u2018complete performance\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was a complete performance from the boys,\u201d Marsh said. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the way Travis batted and the platform that we were able to set for our middle order. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to see guys like Cooper Connolly and Peake coming in and playing roles like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young guns Cooper Connolly and Ollie Peake also continued their hot form as they push their cases for 2027 World Cup selection.<\/p>\n
Connolly added another 78 runs to his name after scoring 51 in game one, continuing an impressive run of form in the ODI side. He also took 2-25, including the last two wickets of the game.<\/p>\n
OUCH! Head reaction caught on stump mic | 00:17<\/p>\n
And Peake went berserk late in the innings, smashing an unbeaten 41 from just 18 deliveries to comfortably surpass his previous ODI best of 31.<\/p>\n
Marsh also led from the front with 53 from 63 deliveries, while later having to manage a depleted bowling attack.<\/p>\n
The Aussies were dealt an injury blow when Billy Stanlake, who returned to the side alongside Josh Hazlewood, lasted just 4.2 overs before leaving the field with a suspected side injury.<\/p>\n
It forced Australia to turn to eight different bowlers, but Adam Zampa stepped up with wickets No.200 and 201 of his ODI career.<\/p>\n
Josh Hazlewood struck twice in the same over late in Zimbabwe\u2019s chase to cap off a strong return to the ODI side.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The milestone saw Zampa join the great Shane Warne as the only Australian spinners to reach 200 ODI wickets.<\/p>\n
Josh Hazlewood was also strong late, collecting two wickets in the same over in a solid return to the ODI side.<\/p>\n
In the end, Australia\u2019s record-breaking total proved far too much for Zimbabwe, who were never able to seriously threaten the target.<\/p>\n
The hosts were bowled out for 272 as Australia secured an 84-run victory.<\/p>\n
The Aussies seal the series 2-0 with one game still to play, with the third and final ODI to come on Sunday.<\/p>\n
HEAD\u2019S RECORD NIGHT AFTER WORRYING TREND<\/p>\n
Head responded the only way he knows how after a poor first ODI against Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
He surpassed teammate Matt Renshaw\u2019s 109 from the first match, a record which had stood for just one game after Renshaw moved past Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was nice to spend some time in the middle and spend some time out there with Mitch (Marsh),\u201d said player-of-the-match award winner Head. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not train for a couple of days which was good actually. We had done a fair bit of training going into the series. It was nice to be fresh. We just tried to be aggressive.\u201d <\/p>\n
An iconic century for Head v Zimbabwe | 06:18<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a three-game series, you want to just try and impact it once or twice, so understand that you\u2019re not going to make runs in every game.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it was nice once I got my start today that I was able to get a good score and contribute to a good win.\u201d<\/p>\n
It came after a poor opening match in which Head chopped onto his own stumps, a trend which has become increasingly common across his recent innings.<\/p>\n
Including that dismissal, Head had lost his wicket in the same fashion across his previous four international innings.<\/p>\n
The trend caught the attention of Australian great Jason Gillespie during the first match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is becoming quite a common dismissal for Travis Head,\u201d Gillespie said during the broadcast.<\/p>\n
But Head responded in game two, with the two-time and reigning Allan Border Medallist smashing 112 off 84 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes.<\/p>\n
His record-breaking knock eventually came to an end when he skied the ball into the air and was caught.<\/p>\n
It was Head\u2019s eighth career ODI century and, with one game remaining against Zimbabwe before a three-match ODI series and three-Test series against South Africa, finding form at the right time is crucial.<\/p>\n
YOUNG GUNS PUSHING FOR WC SELECTION<\/p>\n
So much has been made of the \u201cage\u201d of the Australian cricket program, but the signs for the future are strong after Connolly and Peake dominated Zimbabwe in game two.<\/p>\n
Connolly, 23, finished the match with 78 runs from 69 balls, with his knock including three fours and three sixes.<\/p>\n
It is now his third impressive game in a row in the ODI format.<\/p>\n
He scored 51 runs from 46 balls in game one of this series, after starring with 149 from 134 balls against Bangladesh in the final ODI of that three-game series earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Peake, meanwhile, exploded for the Aussies late in the innings, helping Australia post a record ODI score of 356 against Zimbabwe, surpassing the previous mark of 350 set in 2014.<\/p>\n
He finished his short cameo unbeaten on 41 from 18 balls, building on his 30 runs in game one, which was one run shy of his previous ODI best of 31.<\/p>\n
Connolly staking claim for WC spot | 01:03<\/p>\n
Peake, 20, responded after stepping back onto his stumps in game one and now takes some strong form into the third match before the tour of South Africa.<\/p>\n
For Australia, the selection calls could become increasingly difficult as the 2027 World Cup approaches.<\/p>\n
Marnus Labuschagne has struggled for form, with only one ODI half-century across his past 16 innings for Australia and an average of 15.43 during that stretch.<\/p>\n
With David Warner and Glenn Maxwell retired, spots have opened up in Australia\u2019s batting order, and there is no shortage of players putting their hands up.<\/p>\n
Cameron Green remains firmly in the middle-order mix, while Connolly and Peake are building their cases and Renshaw started this series with a brilliant 109 off 94 balls.<\/p>\n
There is still plenty of cricket to be played before the 2027 World Cup, but if Australia\u2019s younger options continue to produce, established names such as Labuschagne could find themselves under genuine pressure for a place in the squad.<\/p>\n
WHICH KEEPER MAKES THE WC SQUAD?<\/p>\n
With Josh Inglis and Alex Carey both in the squad for Australia, could both make the 2027 World Cup squad or will the defending champions elect to go with just one?<\/p>\n
Carey started as Australia\u2019s wicketkeeper at the 2023 World Cup before Inglis took over from the second game and held the gloves for the remainder of their title-winning run.<\/p>\n
With both players strong behind the stumps, their form with the bat could go a long way towards determining who gets the nod in 2027.<\/p>\n
After two games this series, Inglis has scores of four runs off 12 balls in the opening match and 21 runs off 20 balls in the second.<\/p>\n
For Carey, the first game saw him score 27 runs from 53 balls before adding 20 runs from 30 balls in game two.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe v Australia 1st ODI Highlights | 16:30<\/p>\n
Neither has made a major statement with the bat against Zimbabwe so far, leaving the battle for Australia\u2019s wicketkeeping spot an interesting one heading towards the South Africa tour.<\/p>\n
Historically, Inglis has a batting average of 29.48 with a highest score of 120 not out, while Carey averages 33.49 with a high score of 106.<\/p>\n
With plenty of cricket still to come before the World Cup, the opportunity is there for either player to put some distance between themselves and the other.<\/p>\n
The Australians have elected to use Inglis behind the stumps so far this series, and he does have the experience of being Australia\u2019s first-choice keeper for the majority of their successful 2023 World Cup campaign, including the final.<\/p>\n
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