Opener Brian Bennett led Zimbabwe's charge against Ireland at the Harare Sports Club on Friday after the two teams met for the first ODI of the three-match series.
21-year-old Brian Bennett, who opened the innings for Zimbabwe alongside Ben Curran (28 off 44), made a stellar 169 runs from 163 balls to take his team to 299/5 in 50 overs. The youngster, who scored his maiden ODI hundred, punished the Irish bowlers for 20 boundaries and three sixes before being dismissed in the final over.
Maiden ODI century 💯
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) February 14, 2025
Take a bow, Brian Bennett 👏#ZIMvIRE #Travel&ExperienceZimbabwe 📝: https://t.co/Sfp3x6dTn0 pic.twitter.com/s7vuJMYmvj
Bennett stitched a crucial 136 run-stand with his captain Craig Ervine for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed by Graham Hume.
It is not often that we hear about Zimbabwe batters crossing the 150 mark in any format of the game. Bennett has done it in style and seems to be on course to be part of the African nation's cricketing folklore. But is this the highest score ever posted by a Zimbabwean opener in ODIs? The answer is no.
Charles Kevin Coventry's 194 not out against Bangladesh in 2009 remains the highest individual score by a Zimbabwean ever. However, he came in at number three behind openers Hamilton Masakadza and Mark Vermeulen.
A fantastic maiden ODI century for Brian Bennett against Ireland 🤩#ZIMvIRE 📝: https://t.co/Q6vSlDkup7 | 📸: @ZimCricketv pic.twitter.com/xppbFJWIyL
— ICC (@ICC) February 14, 2025
In fact, it is Masakadza's unbeaten 178 from 167 balls against Kenya the same year that remains the highest score registered by an opener for the country. While his fellow opener Forster Mutiwa managed 55, Masakadza smashed four sixes and 17 boundaries to post his career-best score.
Next up on the list is Craig Wishart's 172 not out against Namibia in the 2003 ICC World Cup. Wishart helped Zimbabwe register a huge win of 86 runs by the D/L method.
Then comes Brian Bennett's knock on Friday, record books show.
In 2009, Hamilton Masakadza had scored 156 runs against Kenya yet again before being run out. He smashed six maximums during the marathon innings that lasted 216 minutes. Former captain Brendon Taylor had scored 145 runs from 136 balls against South Aria at Bloemfontein in 2010. Chasing South Africa's 351/6, Zimbabwe managed 287/6 thanks to Taylor's efforts. However, victory was never in sight as no other batter could support Taylor.
On Friday, Ireland asked the hosts to bat first after winning the toss. Ireland had won the one-off Test at the Queens Sports Club by 63 runs ahead of the ODI series.
