Australia have got their ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 campaign off to a winning start by defeating Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad on Monday 21st February 2011.
Australia won the match by 91 runs.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat, before posting a total of 262 for 6 wickets from 50 Overs. Zimbabwe were All Out for 171 runs, from 46.2 Overs.
The bulk of Australia’s runs were scored by the impressive Shane Watson (79) and Michael Clarke (58), though quick-fire cameos from Hussey (14 from 8 balls), Smith (11 from 4 balls) and Johnson (7 from 3 balls) took the total into the difficult 5+ an over territory.
Mpofu’s 2 wickets for 58 runs from 9 overs was the best for Zimbabwe in terms of wickets, if a little expensive, at more than 6 runs per over.
Zimbabwe got off to a reasonable start with the bat, but a run of wickets with the score in the 40s saw them reduced to 44 for 4, as Mitchell Johnson took Taibu (7) and Ervine (0) either side of Tait clean bowling opener Taylor (16) to put the Aussies in the driving seat.
Despite a late rally from top scoring number nine batsman, Cremer (37), Zimbabwe never looked like catching the Australian total before they ran out of wickets with the score on 171.
Mitchell Johnson’s 4 wickets for 19 off 9.2 overs was vital for Australia, and the pace-man looks to be in rude form at present. Tait and Krejza also chipped in a couple of important wickets.
Australia will be pleased to have got off the mark with this good victory; Zimbabwe will hope for a little more from their bowlers in their next, winnable match with Canada.
Australia v Zimbabwe – ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Scorecard
| Australia 1st Innings | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | ||
| Watson | lbw | b Cremer | 79 | 92 | 8 | 1 |
| Haddin | lbw | b Utseya | 29 | 66 | 3 | 0 |
| Ponting | run out (Mpofu) | 28 | 36 | 0 | 0 | |
| Clarke | not out | 58 | 55 | 4 | 0 | |
| White | b Mpofu | 22 | 36 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hussey | b Price | 14 | 8 | 1 | 1 | |
| Smith | c Chakabva | b Mpofu | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Johnson | not out | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| Extras | 7w 7lb | 14 | ||||
| Total | for 6 | 262 | (50.0 ovs) | |||
| Zimbabwe Bowlers | O | M | R | W | ||
| Mpofu | 9 | 0 | 58 | 2 | ||
| Price | 10 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Utseya | 10 | 2 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Cremer | 10 | 0 | 41 | 1 | ||
| Taylor | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Chigumbura | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Williams | 6 | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
| Zimbabwe 1st Innings | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | ||
| Taylor | b Tait | 16 | 24 | 1 | 0 | |
| Coventry | c and b | %3
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pakistan will win the cup so there