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Records fall as Australia smash Zimbabwe

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HARARE: A slew of records tumbled as Australia destroyed Zimbabwe by 100 runs in the Twenty20 tri-series at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.


Australian captain Aaron Finch powered his way to 172, a new world record high score in T20 internationals, and his opening partnership with D’Arcy Short put up 223, another world record.


Australia reached 229 for 2, the highest total ever scored against Zimbabwe in a T20I.


Australia’s Twenty20 captain attempted a cut shot against a Blessing Muzarabani delivery outside the off-stump but he overbalanced in the process and ended up dislodging the bail when his bat hit the stump.


“The wicket played better than we thought. It came on well,” Finch said at the innings break.


“I knew about the records when I was batting, but a few things went my way today. I took the strike from (D’Arcy) Short a bit, but that kind of innings for him will also help him.


“When the wickets get slower and lower, that kind of innings will help.”


Finch cracked his first six in the fourth over of the morning, and with his third he brought up a 22-ball half century. That was his fastest in Twenty20 internationals.


Australia took 75 from the Powerplay, with Finch doing the bulk of the scoring while Short was content to turn the strike over to his big-hitting partner.


When the team hundred came up halfway through the 10th over, Finch had 74 runs to his name, while Short had managed just 19 from the 24 balls he had faced. Short soon began to find the middle of his own bat, though, and took a brace of sixes off Ryan Burl’s legspin to take his strike rate to over a run a ball.


Finch, meanwhile, brought up his second T20I hundred at the end of the 14th over, taking just 50 deliveries. — Agencies


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