The Sunday Mail
HISTORY is likely to remember Ryan Burl for his heroics in Townsville, Australia, during the wee hours of Saturday morning.
And rightfully so!
Burl collected remarkable figures of five for 10 runs, a feat that turned out to be the cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s first victory over Australia on their home soil.
The 28-year-old also took three great catches in the field as his Player-of-the-Match performance helped the Chevrons to a three-wicket victory over the Aussies in the third and final One-Day-International between the two nations.
However, Zimbabwe skipper Regis Chakabva deserves some credit for both Burl’s performance and the win, or at the very least a footnote in the story of this monumental win.
Chakabva’s unbeaten 37 off 72 balls nursed them towards the winning line, firstly with Tony Munyonga (17) then with bowling hero Burl (11) who brought the requirement into single figures with a six over deep midwicket against Adam Zampa off what was the seventh ball of the over.
Burl fell in the next over to Mitchell Starc, as he became the fastest to 200 ODI wickets, but that was the final drama with Brad Evans driving the winning runs in their chase of a modest 141.
Zimbabwe won the toss and sent Australia in to bat, with hosts’ innings dominated by David Warner who made 94 out of 141 while the only other double-figure score coming from Glenn Maxwell as they were skittled in 31 overs.
Much of the credit must go to Chakabva, who made the risky decision to give the ball to Burl in the 26th over while Australia looked to be set to salvage their innings, with Warner and Maxwell at the crease.
At that point in time, Australia was 128 for five as Zimbabwe’s seamers had done most of the damage to the hosts’ top-order.
However, there was still hope as Warner, on 90 runs, looked settled, while Maxwell, one of the most prolific players of spin, was at the other end for help.
Burl’s legspin was introduced when the pair had started to rebuild for Australia with a sixth-wicket stand of 57 in nine overs.
He claimed Maxwell with his fourth delivery and the last five wickets fell for 12 runs, including Warner, six short of his first international hundred since January 2020.
The final two wickets fell in the space of four deliveries and Burl walked off holding the ball aloft, barely able to believe what had just happened.
It was the first time Zimbabwe had bowled Australia out in an ODI, while 141 was the host’s lowest total against the Chevrons. Zimbabwe started well in the chase, reaching 38 in the ninth over before Takudzwanashe Kaitano (19) edged low to second slip.
In Josh Hazlewood’s next over, Wessly Madhevere (2) cut powerfully to point where Ashton Agar indicated he had briefly lost sight of the ball. — Cricinfo/Sports Reporter.
