NEWMAN Nyamhuri had the world champions in his hands, but Zimbabwe could not finish the story.
On a day when the 20-year-old left-arm seamer tore through Australia with a historic five-wicket haul, the tourists found another match-winner in Nathan Ellis, whose own five-for crushed Zimbabwe’s spirited chase and secured a 59-run victory in the opening One-Day International at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Between those two five-wicket hauls stood the difference, Matt Renshaw’s magnificent 109 carried Australia to 294/8 after they elected to bat, while Chevrons’ best response, a fighting 98-run fifth-wicket partnership between Craig Ervine and captain Sikandar Raza, could only rescue the hosts from 62 for four before the world champions tightened their grip.
Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out for 235 in 45.1 overs as Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Yet, even in defeat, Nyamhuri produced an afternoon that will linger in Zimbabwean cricket memory.
The 20-year-old returned five for 62 from nine overs, his maiden ODI five-wicket haul, dismissing Australian captain Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Oliver Peake, Xavier Bartlett and centurion Renshaw.
It was a remarkable breakthrough performance from a bowler who entered the match with just five wickets from his first six ODIs.
Nyamhuri has long been regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s most promising young fast bowlers following his development through the national Under-19 set-up.
Against the reigning ODI world champions, however, promise turned into performance.
His first intervention came after Australia had recovered from the early loss of Travis Head.
Brad Evans had given Zimbabwe the perfect start when Head dragged a delivery onto his stumps for four in the second over, leaving Australia 10/1.
Marsh responded aggressively, striking six fours and a six in his 36 from 28 deliveries as he combined with Cooper Connolly to add 50 for the second wicket.
Nyamhuri broke the partnership with the final delivery of the ninth over when Marsh cracked a short, wide ball towards cover, where Brian Bennett held a sharp catch.
The young seamer struck again four overs later, aided by a spectacular piece of wicketkeeping from returning veteran Brendan Taylor.
Inglis drove at a full delivery outside off and edged behind, where Taylor launched himself low to his right and completed a superb one-handed catch.
Australia were 83/3.
Connolly threatened to rebuild the innings with an enterprising 51 from 46 balls, containing four fours and three sixes, before Raza bowled him at 107/4 in the 18th over.
Alex Carey and Renshaw then changed the complexion of the innings.
While Carey initially played the supporting role, Renshaw settled into an innings that gradually shifted from consolidation to domination. Their partnership carried Australia beyond 150 before Evans removed Carey for 27 from 53 balls at 179/5.
Renshaw refused to surrender the initiative.
He brought up his half-century from 55 deliveries and accelerated as the innings entered its final phase, finding another useful partner in Peake.
The pair added 50 for the sixth wicket before Nyamhuri returned to break the stand in unusual fashion, with Peake stepping onto his own stumps after going deep into the crease. He was out hit wicket for 30 from 40 balls at 254/6.
Nyamhuri then had Bartlett caught by Ervine for five before completing his five-wicket haul with the prized wicket of Renshaw in the penultimate over.
Renshaw attempted to clear the leg side but found Madhevere at deep midwicket, departing for an excellent 109 from 94 deliveries, decorated with seven fours and three sixes.
Australia eventually closed on 294/8, with Nathan Ellis unbeaten on nine and Adam Zampa on three.
Evans complemented Nyamhuri with 2/51 from nine overs, while Raza claimed 1/62. Blessing Muzarabani went wicketless but was Zimbabwe’s most economical frontline seamer, conceding only 46 from his 10 overs.
A target of 295 required Zimbabwe to construct a substantial chase.
Instead, Australia punched holes through the top order.
Ben Curran fell for a two-ball duck in the second over, chipping Bartlett to Ellis at mid-off, before Innocent Kaia and Bennett attempted to rebuild.
Ellis then intervened twice in the ninth over.
First, his cleverly disguised slower ball deceived Kaia, who was brilliantly caught by Carey at midwicket for 18. Four balls later, Bennett edged behind for 25, leaving Zimbabwe 46/3.
The situation became more precarious when Taylor, playing his first ODI innings since returning to international cricket, was dismissed for four.
Taylor advanced at Renshaw but failed to reach the pitch and picked out Bartlett at long-on, reducing Zimbabwe to 62 for four after 13.3 overs.
At that stage, the contest appeared to be slipping rapidly away.
Ervine and Raza had other ideas.
Two of Zimbabwe’s most experienced batsmen set about rebuilding the innings with a mixture of patience and calculated aggression.
Ervine was the more fluent of the pair, reaching his half-century from 51 balls with five fours and a six, while Raza settled into the supporting role before gradually opening up.
Their partnership brought Zimbabwe back into the contest.
The hosts passed 100 in the 21st over and 150 in the 29th, forcing Australia to search for a breakthrough as the fifth-wicket stand approached three figures.
With Zimbabwe on 160, the Australian seamer produced arguably the delivery of the innings — a good-length ball that moved away late, beat Ervine’s outside edge and crashed into off stump.
Ervine departed for 59 from 60 balls, having struck six fours and a six.
The wicket ended a 98-run partnership and, ultimately, Zimbabwe’s strongest period of resistance.
Raza carried on to his half-century from 61 deliveries, but Australia understood that removing the Zimbabwe captain would effectively expose the lower order.
Spencer Johnson delivered the decisive blow.
Bowling from around the wicket, he speared a yorker into the base of off stump to remove Raza for 57 from 76 balls, leaving Zimbabwe 181/6 after 36 overs.
From there, the chase unravelled.
Madhevere made 22 from 30 balls before Cooper Connolly trapped him leg before wicket at 199/7.
Wellington Masakadza contributed 14 but became Ellis’ fourth victim when Australia successfully reviewed an initially rejected lbw appeal.
Evans attempted one final counterattack, scoring 18 from 20 deliveries and launching a six, before top-edging Zampa to Johnson at short third with the score on 235.
There was a fitting symmetry to the final act.
Nyamhuri, Zimbabwe’s bowling hero earlier in the day, was the last man dismissed when Ellis deceived him with a back-of-the-hand slower delivery that crashed into leg stump.
Zimbabwe were all out for 235.
Ellis finished with career-best ODI figures of 5/31 from 9.1 overs, including a maiden, to complete an outstanding individual performance and ensure Nyamhuri’s heroics would come in a losing cause.
Johnson, Bartlett, Renshaw, Zampa and Connolly shared the other five wickets.
For Zimbabwe, the 59-run margin will underline the work still required with the bat. Ervine and Raza demonstrated that runs could be scored against Australia’s attack, but losing four wickets for 62 left the middle order with too much repair work and too little margin for error.
Yet Nyamhuri’s performance provided a significant silver lining.
The young fast bowler began the day still searching for his first ODI five-for. He ended it with five wickets against the world champions, including their captain, wicketkeeper and only centurion.
Australia may have won the match and taken a 1-0 series lead.
