Gilchrist smashes 172 as Australia trounce Zimbabwe

Australia 344-7 Zimbabwe 196-6 Australia win by 148 runs

Australia cruised to a 148-run victory over Zimbabwe in the fourth match of the VB Series in Hobart after Adam Gilchrist smashed 172 in the hosts' 344 for seven off their 50 overs.

The Africans were never in with a chance of reaching their target and only Heath Streak and Tatenda Taibu's 102-run stand for the sixth wicket saw Zimbabwe post a reasonable total of 196 for six.

Streak was unbeaten on 64 at the close with Taibu out for 44 in the final over.

Grant Flower (40) and Dion Ebrahim (21) were the only other Zimbabweans to reach double-figures.

Earlier, Gilchrist - who hit the second-highest ever Australian one-day innings - shared in an opening stand of 140 off only 22.3 overs with Matthew Hayden to put the home side in control.

Their partnership was finally ended when Hayden went for a big hit over mid-wicket but was caught by Vusi Sibanda off Streak for 63.

Gilchrist was joined by skipper Ricky Ponting and the pair continued to hit the Zimbabwe attack to all parts of the ground.

They had put on 106 off 15 overs when Ponting became Flower's 100th one-day international victim when he was caught at long-off by Stuart Matsikenyeri for 37.

Damien Martyn and Gilchrist took the score to 310 in the 44th over before the wicketkeeper's superb innings was ended when he was bowled by Sean Ervine.

Australia's innings then stuttered as Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke and Andy Bichel were all dismissed for ducks.

Martyn was not out 47 at the close, with Streak finishing as Zimbabwe's most successful bowler with three for 50 off his 10 overs.