Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Cameron Green paved the way for Australia's thumping win in the second ODI against Zimbabwe that helped them seal the three-game ODI series with one match to play. On a green wicket in Townsville, Australia chose to bowl and tormented the Zimbabwe batting order to skittle them out for just 96 - their lowest score against this opposition.
Starc led the way in a complete anhillation of the visitors as he dismantled the top-three by the seventh over, with just 14 runs on the board. Starc removed Innocent Kaia with a searing yorker and swung one back in to Wesley Madhevere to trap him leg before. The middle-order core of Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams and captain Regis Chakabva had the task of resurrecting the innings, but Australia put a lid on those plans. Raza and Chakabva fell to Josh Hazlewood and Ashton Agar while attempting to hit out, leaving Zimbabwe tottering at 59 for 5.
Cameron Green, who took a five-wicket haul in the previous fixture, made his presence felt in the 2nd ODI too, ending Tony Muyonga and Ryal Burl's innings after the duo showed patience and inclination to propel Zimbabwe from the wreckage. Adam Zampa created a bigger dent with the wicket of Williams for 29 - the eventual best scorer in the Zimbabwe line-up on the day. Zampa then wrapped up the wickets of Luke Jongwe and Brad Evans in the same over that ended Zimbabwe's innings on 96 in just 27.4 overs.
Richard Ngarva dismissed both Australia opener Aaron Finch and David Warner in the third over but Steve Smith took charge of the chase and showed urgency to wrap it up. He hit eight fours and a six on his way to a breezy, undefeated 41-ball 47 while Alex Carey made an unbeaten 26 as the pair switfly took the hosts past the finish line in just the 15th over.