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Australian captain Aaron Finch blasted a record 172 in a 100-run victory over Zimbabwe in a T20 tri-series match at Harare Sports Club.
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl and Australia got off to a flying start.
Finch’s batting masterclass had the bells and whistles. With D’Arcy Short holding up the other end, the captain administered punishment to every bowler. The special innings was full of dreamy shots that got the Zimbabwean crowd marvelining.
And marvel too did Solomon Mire who afterwards at the press conference spoke of how you could just admire the exploits of the pinch hitter.
The innings had 16 fours and 10 sixes. The opening partnership ended after all of 19.2 overs with 223 on the board when Blessing Muzarabani was done in by the short ball which PJ Moor with the gloves gratefully accepted.
Finch was out, perhaps the only way they could remove him, pre-empting a short a short and wide one from Muzarabani, only to dislodge his own stumps.
Still he beat his own record and Australia got 229/2 on the board.
Zimbabwe started at pace and were in touching distance of the run rate when Chamu Chibhabha went out under unfortunate circumstances when he was looking good at 18 off 10. He chopped one onto his pads and it landed in Alex Carey’s gloves.
Solomon Mire who had been middling it fell next for 28, the only victim of Billy Stanlake. Marcus Stoinis completed the catch.
Scoreboard pressure was telling as a lot of loose shots claimed victims, Zimbabwe falling out of it and ending their 20 overs on 129/9.
Zimbabwe now take on Pakistan pretty much out of the reckoning unless Pakistan lose all their remaining matches and the hosts win theirs.
Barring a miracle of spectacular proportion.
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