HARARE, 30 May 2004 — Fast bowler Jason Gillespie and opening batsman Michael Clarke guided Australia to a 3-0 series whitewash over Zimbabwe in the third One-Day International yesterday.
Australia dismissed Zimbabwe for 196 in 48.5 overs before replying with 199 for two, easing to victory by eight wickets with 19.2 overs to spare.
Gillespie swung the ball to take five for 32, his third five-wicket haul in one-dayers, while Clarke hammered 16 fours and a six in a career-best 105 not out, his maiden one-day century.
“He’s still a young player, but he’s got a big future in the game as far as I’m concerned,” Australia captain Ricky Ponting said of the 23-year-old Clarke.
“It was great to see him get his first One-Day International hundred.”
Australia won the first two matches in the series by seven wickets and 139 runs.
Michael Kasprowicz, who shared the new ball with Gillespie, also bowled well but was only rewarded with the final ball of his 10-over spell, an inswinger that trapped Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu in front for 27.
Gillespie and Kasprowicz bowled the first 20 overs and reduced Zimbabwe to 61 for six after Australia had won the toss.
The home batsmen struggled to combat their disciplined lines, the top six hitting just six fours between them. The only meaningful resistance came in a stand of 114 between Chigumbura and Mluleki Nkala, a seventh-wicket record for Zimbabwe against Australia.
The pair took advantage of a noticeable easing of the intensity of the Australians’ performance and kept Zimbabwe on the front foot until Nkala was yorked by left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg in the 45th over.
“They got away from us a little bit towards the end of their innings,” Ponting said.
Chigumbura was ninth out in the 49th over, bowled by Hogg for 77. He faced 90 balls and hit nine fours and two sixes. Hogg took three for 37.
Australia began their reply with an aggressive opening stand of 68 between Adam Gilchrist and Clarke.
The partnership ended in the ninth over when Gilchrist, who had blasted medium pacer Tawanda Mupariwa for four, six, four and four, dragged the next delivery on to his stumps to be bowled for a 27-ball 44.
Mupariwa struck again in the 18th over when all rounder Andrew Symonds, on 20, drove a catch to Waddington Mwayenga at mid-on.
Clarke and Shane Watson, 18 not out, sealed the win and the series whitewash with an unbroken third-wicket stand of 84.
The three-match series was brought forward after two Tests were called off because of Zimbabwe’s problems in fielding a Test-strength side. Zimbabwe have been forced to pick a second-string team since last month when 15 white players made themselves unavailable over what they see as racially driven selection policies.
