Matthew Renshaw's maiden ODI century lifts Australia to 294 for 8 in Harare

Matthew Renshaw made his first international century since 2017 to carry Australia to 294 for 8 in the opening one-day international against Zimbabwe in Harare

Renshaw came in at number six with Australia's top four already gone inside the first 18 overs, and batted into the final over of the innings for 109 in the first match of the series at Harare Sports Club.

Australia had chosen to bat after Mitchell Marsh won the toss, and closed their 50 overs on 294 for 8 after a Zimbabwe attack that took regular wickets kept pulling them back.

The last of those wickets was Renshaw himself, holing out in the final over to give Newman Nyamhuri figures of 5-62 and a first five-wicket haul in international cricket.

Australia lose their top four inside 18 overs

Marsh made 36 off 28 and Cooper Connolly 51 off 46 on an easy-paced surface, but neither turned a start into the innings the position asked for.

Travis Head fell for 4, chopping on for the fourth consecutive international innings.

Josh Inglis also made 4, caught one-handed by Brendan Taylor, the 41-year-old wicketkeeper Zimbabwe recalled for this series.

All four dismissals came inside the first 18 overs, leaving Renshaw and Alex Carey to begin the innings again.

Renshaw rebuilds from number six

Renshaw's answer was a pair of partnerships rather than a charge. He added 72 with Carey, who made 27 from 53 balls.

A second stand of 75 followed with Ollie Peake, the young left-hander contributing 30 from 40 balls before the innings reached its final stretch.

At the end of the 40th over Australia were 228 for 5, with Renshaw 75 not out and the last ten overs still to come.

Only once those two stands were complete did he accelerate, reaching three figures in the closing stages and taking Australia within six runs of 300.

Nine years between international hundreds

It was Renshaw's maiden one-day international century and his first hundred in any format for Australia since 184 against Pakistan in the 2017 Sydney Test.

Nine years separate the two innings, and the second arrived in Australia's opening match of this tour of Zimbabwe.

He made it from number six, a position he reached the crease in with four wickets already down and the innings needing rebuilding rather than finishing.

Nyamhuri's first five-wicket haul

Nyamhuri, a 20-year-old left-arm quick, took his first two wickets inside the powerplay, Marsh among them.

He returned to finish the innings, sealing the five-for when Renshaw skied a slog in the last over, and walked off holding the ball above his head.

His 5-62 is the return that kept Zimbabwe in the match, on a surface that gave the batters pace to work with for most of the day.

Brad Evans took two wickets and the captain, Sikandar Raza, removed Connolly, Zimbabwe taking eight in all and conceding 66 from the last ten overs.

What the chase asks of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe need 295 to win, and have chased a total this large against a full-member nation only once in the past six years.

Their side for the opening match brought Taylor back behind the stumps alongside Raza, Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Innocent Kaia, Craig Ervine, Wessly Madhevere, Evans, Nyamhuri, Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani.

The series continues at the same ground, with the second one-day international on 18 September and the third on 20 September.

Scorecard: Australia 294 for 8 in 50 overs (Matthew Renshaw 109, Cooper Connolly 51, Newman Nyamhuri 5-62) v Zimbabwe, 1st ODI, Harare Sports Club.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.