Zim cricket’s most memorable victory

SEPTEMBER 3 is etched in the memory of Zimbabwean cricket fans as the day the Chevrons registered a historic win against Australia.

On the second anniversary of the feat, cricketer Ryan Burl reminisced about the momentous occasion, which saw the Chevrons triumph over Australia for the first time in any format Down Under.

The win was especially sweet considering the team’s earlier defeats in 12 ODIs and two Tests against Australia on their home ground.

But all that changed in the third ODI with 141 runs from the hosts, their lowest-ever score against Zimbabwe.

The Chevrons performed superbly, with Burl’s 5/10 spell the highlight of the match.

His effort helped the team claim all 10 wickets for the first time in 33 ODIs against Australia.

Captain Regis Chakabva and Tadiwanashe Marumani also played memorable innings to secure the win.

“Some great memories! More to be made soon,” Burl said on the second anniversary of their historic win on Tuesday.

Burl was named player of the match for his 18-ball 5/10. This was the second least number of balls to haul a fifer in men’s ODIs since 2001.

Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas got five wickets in 16 balls against Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup.

The leg spinner also became the first Zimbabwean player to take a fifer against Australia. The previous best figures by a Chevrons player against the Aussies in ODIs was at the 1983 World Cup when Duncan Fletcher finished with 4/42.

Burl’s 5/10 against a full-strength Australian side was the second-best performance by a Chevrons’ spinner behind former captain, Graeme Cremer’s 6/46 against Kenya in 2009.

Victory on that fateful day was written in the stars, starting from the toss.

Zimbabwe won the toss and bowled out Australia for 141 runs in 31 overs before successfully chasing the target in 39 overs to finish with 142/7.

Bradley Evans took two scalps for 35 runs in six overs while Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi and Sean Williams took one wicket apiece.

The now-retired David Warner fought a solo battle with the bat for the hosts, scoring a gallant 94 runs off 96 balls as he watched wickets fall from the other end. The only other Australian batter that managed double figures was Glen Maxwell who was caught and bowled by Burl on 19 runs off 22 deliveries.

The Chevrons’ openers notched up a 38-run opening stand before Takudzwanashe Kaitano was caught on 19 runs off 25 balls.

It was a steady unbeaten 37 runs off 72 balls from Chakabva and Marumani’s 35 runs off 47 balls that helped Zimbabwe cross the line.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood finished the match with figures of 3/30 in his 10-over spell for the hosts. Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Agar were also among the wicket-takers for the hosts.

Two years later, the victory in Townsville remains one of Zimbabwe’s most cherished achievements in one-day cricket.

— @brandon_malvin