Lehmann stars in big cricket win
A big Australian win over Zimbabwe gave the second one-day cricket match a more familiar ring to it, but a remarkable all-round performance from Darren Lehmann provided the big surprise.
Lehmann made 67 in Australia's total of 8-323 and then took a career-best 4-7 from 27 balls to help skittle Zimbabwe for 184 as the world champions won by 139 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
The final match will be played on Saturday, but surely it couldn't get any busier for Lehmann, who also took two catches and was at the stumps for a run out.
The South Australian clearly relished the chance to get his first hit on tour with a sparkling 69-ball knock which contained a huge six over mid-on and a paddle shot over his own stumps that ran away for four.
Matthew Hayden made 87 but could be rested on Saturday because of back stiffness, while Jason Gillespie made 33 not out from just 16 balls.
If Hayden does not play, Australia will again have to revamp its batting line-up after captain Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn - the stars of the win on Tuesday - batted at No.7 and No.8 respectively to give their teammates more time in the middle.
Ponting also re-worked his bowlers, as Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg and Lehmann bowled almost 20 overs between them after Ponting stuck largely with his pacemen in the first win.
Hogg picked up 2-56, including the wicket of Brendan Taylor (65), whose sweep to fine leg was the first dismissal in a collapse of 7-17 in 47 balls.
Lehmann took the last three wickets to fall as Zimbabwe No.11 Douglas Hondo did not bat because he copped the full force of a Ponting drive to the side of the head.
Hondo did not have time to look up as Ponting smashed a ball back at him late in Australia's innings, and the fast bowler is unlikely to play on Saturday as a result.
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