Zimbabwe routed

HARARE, OCT 24: Unbeaten half-centuries by Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan powered Australia to a nine-wicket win against Zimbabwe to cli...

HARARE, OCT 24: Unbeaten half-centuries by Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan powered Australia to a nine-wicket win against Zimbabwe to clinch their limited overs series 3-0 at the Harare Sports Club today.

Needing 201 to win, Australia lost Adam Gilchrist for a whirlwind 28 from 17 balls before Ponting 87 not out and Bevan 77 not out completed the rout against a weak attack with 11 of their 50 overs to spare.

Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower had at least led the home side to the respectability of 200 for nine, following their 83-run loss in the first match in Bulawayo and their nine-wicket defeat in the second game here, but the left-hander8217;s unbeaten 99 went unsupported.

Batting in desperate circumstances with wickets falling regularly at the other end, Flower added 43 with younger brother Grant, the second highest scorer with 21, before nursing the rest of the middle and lower, attacking wherever possible.

A savage assault in the final over produced 20 runs, 15 of them to Flower, who drove thefirst ball from medium-pacer Andrew Symonds for six over extra cover before pulling the sixth delivery over mid-wicket to reach 99.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe: N Johnson c S Waugh b McGrath 5, A Campbell b McGrath 18, T Madondo c Gilchrist b Moody 6, A Flower not out 99, G Flower c Martyn b Symonds 21, M Goodwin c Symonds b Warne 14, A Blignaut c Bevan b Warne 1, J Rennie run out 10, G Brent lbw Moody 0, A Whittall run out 1, D Mutendera not out 8. Extras 17. Total for 9 wkts, 50 overs 200. Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-29, 3-38, 4-81, 5-120, 6-125,7-154, 8-156, 9-167.

Bowling: McGrath 10-4-18-2, Dale 10-0-35-0, Moody 10-2-34-2, Symonds 8-0-52-1, Warne 10-0-42-3, Martyn 2-0-12-0.

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Australia: A Gilchrist c A Flower b Mutendera 28, R Ponting not out 87, M Bevan not out 77. Extras lb3, w6: 9. Total for one wicket in 39 overs 201 Fall of wickets: 1-44.

Bowling: Mutendera 6-0-42-1 2w, J Rennie 6-1-46-0 2w, Blignaut 6-1-25-0 2w, A Whittall 8-0-30-0,Brent 10-1-44-0, G Flower 3-0-11-0Australia win three match series 3-0.