HARARE, May 29: Fast bowler Jason Gillespie and rising batting star Michael Clarke guided Australia to a 3-0 series whitewash over Zimbabwe in the third One-day International on Saturday. 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.
Australia won the first two matches in the series by seven wickets and 139 runs.
Michael Kasprowicz also bowled well but was only rewarded with the final ball of his 10-over spell, an inswinger that trapped 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.
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.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE:
S. Matsikenyeri c Watson b Gillespie 4
B.R.M. Taylor lbw b Gillespie 1
V. Sibanda c Gilchrist b Gillespie 2
T. Taibu lbw b Kasprowicz 27
M.A. Vermeulen c and b Gillespie 17
A. Maregwede b Gillespie 1
E. Chigumbura b Hogg 77
M.L. Nkala b Hogg 47
T. Mupariwa run out 4
W. Mwayenga lbw b Hogg 1
E.C. Rainsford not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-8, NB-1) 14
TOTAL (all out, 48.5 overs) 196
FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-9, 3-10, 4-42, 5-50, 6-61, 7-175, 8-194, 9-196.
BOWLING: Gillespie 10-2-32-5 (2w); Kasprowicz 10-1-27-1; McGrath 8-1-28-0 (2w); Watson 8-0-38-0 (1nbm 2w); Hogg 6.5-0-37-3 (2w); Symonds 6-0-29-0.
AUSTRALIA:
A.C. Gilchrist b Mupariwa 44
M.J. Clarke not out 105
A. Symonds c Mwayenga b Mupariwa 20
S.R. Watson not out 18
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-8) 12
TOTAL (for two wkts, 30.4 overs) 199
FALL OF WKTS: 1-68, 2-115.
DID NOT BAT: R.T. Ponting, D.R. Martyn, I.J. Harvey, G.B. Hogg, J.N. Gillespie, M.S. Kasprowicz, G.D. McGrath.
BOWLING: Nkala 5-0-27-0 (3w); Mwayenga 3-1-22-0; Mupariwa 8-0-48-2; Rainsford 7-0-36-0 (4w); Matsikenyeri 5-0-35-0 (1w); Chigumbura 2.4-0-27-0.
RESULT: Australia won by eight wickets to win series 3-0.
UMPIRES: I.D. Robinson (Zimbabwe) and S.A. Bucknor (West Indies).
TV UMPIRE: R.B. Tiffin (Zimbabwe).
MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Michael Clarke.-Reuters
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