Zimbabwe tour of Australia 1st ODI, Australian win by five wickets, Steve Smith takes mind blowing catch
Australia has defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets to win the first ODI in Townsville and take an early 1-0 lead in their three-match series.
Glenn Maxwell starred for the Aussies, closing out their innings with a spectacular six-ball blitz that left 99 balls remaining.
Earlier, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 200 as Cameron Green dominated with figures of 5-33.
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Steve Smith left both commentators and spectators at the Riverway Stadium stunned after taking a flying catch from leg-spinner Adam Zampa to dismiss Tony Munyonga.
With the visitors positioned on 2-104 halfway through their innings, Zampa drew the errant shot which had enough hang time to allow Smith to run backwards and take the screamer of a catch.
“Oh! What a catch back with the flight,” Brenton Speed exclaimed in commentary for Fox Cricket.
“Steve Smith hangs on.”
“He opened himself up on Munyonga, didn’t get it. Smith turned early, never let the ball out of his sights [with] still work to do,” added Kerry O’Keefe.
“The extension at the end. That’s a great grab.”
Zimbabwe’s openers managed to get themselves through the first 10 overs before losing a wicket. This saw off the initial spells of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
But in the 11th over, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh broke through when he dismissed Innocent Kaia for 17, stalling Zimbabwe at 1-42.
Marsh provides the breakthrough for Aussies
The tail end of Zimbabwe’s batting order had no answer to the pace of Green, losing their last six wickets for only 15 runs to be all out in the 48th over.
During Australia’s turn with the bat, Aaron Finch was dropped on 10 and then chopped on for 15 off 21 balls, while David Warner scored 57 off 66.
Steve Smith was unbeaten on 48 off 80, alongside Glenn Maxwell who finished the match like he had somewhere to be afterwards, scoring 32 runs off just nine balls.
Maxwell hit nine boundaries including back-to-back sixes to win in the 34th over.
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