Sikandar Raza led from the front with a superb unbeaten 81 and two vital wickets, but Zimbabwe fell agonisingly short of a consolation win as Australia escaped with a one-wicket victory in a gripping final-over finish in the third and final One-Day International at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Chasing 272, the tourists slumped to 245 for nine before Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson scrambled the remaining 27 runs, sealing victory with one ball to spare and completing a 3-0 series sweep.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
Newman Nyamhuri was rested, while Wellington Masakadza was not fully fit, paving the way for Ernest Masuku and Graeme Cremer to come into the side.
Cremer’s inclusion marked his first ODI appearance in eight years.
Brian Bennett and Ben Curran made a watchful start, putting on 17 from the opening five overs before Bennett launched a counterattack, taking 17 off a Xavier Bartlett over that included a six and two fours.
Curran fell for seven in the following over, caught behind down the leg side off Johnson.
Bennett raced to 30 from 29 balls but then miscued a pull off Ellis, leaving Zimbabwe 48 for two.
Innocent Kaia began fluently, while Brendan Taylor made nine before being beaten and bowled by a superb Adam Zampa flipper with the total on 68.
Kaia and Craig Ervine then steadied the innings and gradually increased the tempo.
Kaia reached his half-century from 59 deliveries as the pair added a valuable 80, but the partnership ended in unfortunate circumstances when he pulled a hamstring while completing a single and was forced to retire hurt with the score on 148.
He had made an assured 55 from 66 balls.
Ervine and Raza took time to settle before the captain found his rhythm by pulling a Zampa long hop high over midwicket for six.
Ervine brought up his half-century from 67 balls and shared a 61-run stand with Raza before attempting to clear long-on off Zampa and being caught on the boundary.
His 59 came from 79 deliveries and included five fours.
Wessly Madhevere departed for one, while Brad Evans struck Johnson for consecutive fours before edging the next delivery behind for 11, leaving Zimbabwe 226 for six in the 44th over.
Cremer managed only a single before Ellis trapped him lbw with an excellent yorker.
Raza took charge of the closing stages, striking the ball cleanly even as Masuku was run out for three in the final over.
Zimbabwe closed on 271 for eight, with Raza unbeaten on 81 from 72 balls, an innings featuring one six and seven fours.
Ellis led Australia’s bowling effort with three for 50, while Johnson and Zampa claimed two wickets apiece.
The target appeared well within Australia’s reach, but Evans quickly gave Zimbabwe hope.
Evans struck with his fourth delivery, removing the dangerous Travis Head for six after he flicked the ball straight to substitute fielder Ryan Burl at deep backward square leg.
In his next over, Evans produced a superb delivery that found Mitchell Marsh’s edge and was safely taken by Taylor behind the stumps, reducing Australia to 25 for two.
Cooper Connolly played steadily while Josh Inglis adopted a more aggressive approach, taking the tourists to 57 after 10 overs.
Cremer struck in his first over, bowling Connolly between bat and pad for 21 as the batter drove loosely.
Inglis grew increasingly confident and reached his half-century from 47 deliveries, with Australia moving to 121 for three after 20 overs, ahead of the required rate.
A brilliant Madhevere catch at point finally broke the threatening partnership between Inglis and Alex Carey.
Diving sharply to his left, Madhevere held on to give Evans his third wicket, dismissing Carey for 34 from 30 balls with the score on 162.
Fourteen runs later, Madhevere made an impact with the ball, firing a quicker delivery through Matt Renshaw as he played across the line.
Renshaw departed for four, leaving Australia 176 for five.
Oliver Peake then joined Inglis, who remained the key figure in the chase.
Australia passed 200 in the 34th over before Raza delivered a crucial breakthrough, making the ball dip sharply to trap Peake lbw for 19.
Cremer struck in the following over with a superb googly that trapped Bartlett lbw for three after a successful review, reducing Australia to 206 for seven.
It was almost 206 for eight when Cremer’s next delivery beat both the new batter, Ellis, and wicketkeeper Taylor before running away for four byes.
Inglis swept Cremer for four to complete a magnificent century from 94 balls, but Raza returned to remove him with the first delivery of his new spell.
Inglis advanced down the pitch looking to attack, only to be bowled for 103 from 102 deliveries, including 11 fours.
At 227 for eight in the 42nd over, Zimbabwe had seized control.
Evans tightened their grip when Zampa miscued a pull and picked out Bennett at deep square leg for nine, leaving Australia 245 for nine.
Last man Johnson joined Ellis with 27 runs still required from 28 deliveries.
Ellis found a fortunate boundary off the top edge to bring up Australia’s 250, leaving the tourists needing 22 from the final four overs.
Raza’s last over yielded only two singles before Evans returned for his final six deliveries.
The batters worked the ball into the gaps, but Zimbabwe missed a decisive opportunity when Madhevere dropped Ellis at deep midwicket from the third delivery.
He recovered two balls later to make an excellent stop and turn a potential boundary into two.
Australia needed nine from the final over, which Raza entrusted to Madhevere.
Ellis launched the first delivery over long-on for six before taking a single from the next ball.
Johnson levelled the scores with a single from the fourth delivery, leaving Ellis to seal victory by clipping the fifth through midwicket.
Evans finished as Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler with four for 47 from his 10 overs, but Australia had survived to clinch a dramatic victory and complete the series sweep.
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