Online Reporter
AUSTRALIA captain Mitchell Marsh feels Zimbabwe deserved to win the final ODI, which produced a thriller at Harare Sports Club on Sunday, before being decided with the penultimate ball of the innings.
The Aussies won by one wicket with one ball remaining in what was a cruel blow for the Chevrons and their army of fans.
The Chevrons came very close to sealing a morale-boosting win, before a festive crowd, only for them to lose by one wicket with just a ball remaining.
It was a cruel ending to an afternoon when the Chevrons really showed they can compete with the best in the world, on a good day, and which deserved more than a loss.
A win would also have been a fitting close to a year in which the Chevrons also made history at the ICC T20 World Cup where they also knocked out the Aussies.
Marsh, whose father Geoff once coached the Chevrons and who spent part of his childhood living in Harare, said his team was lucky to win on Sunday.
“Great game of cricket in the end. I thought Zimbabwe played a great game of cricket and probably deserved to win, but yeah, the boys got the job done in the end there. It was fantastic to see.
“And yeah, we were a little bit lucky at the other end, but the way the boys got us over the line was incredible.
“Yeah, I think we’re aware that we need to keep improving as a team, and there’s certainly areas that we can improve, but I thought the way we played over the three matches progressively got better.
“Today we got a bit lucky at the end there, but there’s lots of positive signs in our group.
“We’ve got some young talent in our team that is very exciting for the future of this team. One-day cricket wickets are generally pretty flat.
“Zimbabwe played really well. We had to work really hard for each and every win. But I thought across the board we played some really good cricket throughout the whole three games.”
Sikandar Raza said he is very proud of his Chevrons despite the team blowing a rare chance for a memorable win over Australia in an ODI at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
The Chevrons captain also became the leading run scorer for Zimbabwe in Odis with his half century on Sunday.
“As a captain, I’m really proud of the boys. Yes, this game hurts, but there’s plenty to learn.
“I’d rather have a game like that than for us to just chase it down in 40 overs with four wickets down,” said Raza.
“So, yeah, a lot of positives as well, but it’s the one that got away.
“I thought the pitch was a good wicket as well. We expected a little bit of turn, which it did as well.
“But overall, just a good wicket and, most importantly, a great game of cricket.
“We were always in the game on that wicket. We knew that their new guy would find it very difficult to get going as well, and if we can just bring three or four dots every over as well, then it will be very difficult for them.
“Josh Inglis played really well as well. I thought he controlled the middle really well, took his options really well, and I think the difference has been that in three games, 300s have been scored by the Aussies and none by Zimbabwe.
“I think that’s where the difference is.”
He added:
“But apart from that, again, I would say the positive is a lot of fight shown today. Each game we improved, and I think that shows us that we can get there.
“I think to win an ODI game, the top four has to get 100 as well.
“If you look at their 100, it was all in the top four as well. So I think that’s one thing we’ve learned.” — Cricbuzz/Cricinfo
