Australia breeze past Zimbabwe to improve quarter-final chances
Their victory was set up by new-ball quick Xavier Bartlett, who knocked over the top three Zimbabwe batsmen inside 11 overs
ESPNcricinfo staff
17-Jan-2018
Australia Under-19 135 for 3 (Bryant 44) beat Zimbabwe Under-19 134 (Bartlett 3-20) by seven wickets
Australia scored their first win of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, by a comfortable seven-wicket margin against Zimbabwe in Lincoln.
Their victory was set up by new-ball quick Xavier Bartlett, who, after his captain won the toss, knocked over the top three Zimbabwe batsmen inside 11 overs. Zimbabwe never recovered fom 34 for 3, regularly losing wickets to be dismissed for 134 in 33.2 overs. Robert Chimhinya top-scored for them with 27 at No. 8. Bartlett finished with 3 for 20, while Will Sutherland and Lloyd Pope claimed two each.
Australia's openers Max Bryant and Jack Edwards set off at terrific speed in the chase, adding 46 in 4.2 overs before their stand was broken. Edwards was the first dismissed for 40 off 20, while Bryant made 44 off 27. They got home in 18.2 overs.
The victory meant that Australia were well placed to progress to the quarter-finals, after having lost their opening Group B match against India. their final group game is against Papua New Guinea.