Josh Inglis admitted that he didn’t enjoy watching the closing stages of Australia‘s chase in the final ODI against Zimbabwe, after his dismissal had left his team facing defeat, but believed such experiences will serve the team well at next year’s World Cup.

When Inglis ran past a delivery from Sikandar Raza to fall for a well-constructed 103 off 102 balls, his second ODI hundred, Australia still needed 45 with just two wickets remaining. When Adam Zampa fell it left the last pair needing to find 27, but Nathan Ellis played superbly while Spencer Johnson did his part with 7 off 13 balls.

It was Australia’s second one-wicket victory in their last four ODIs after also scrambling over the line against Bangladesh in Mirpur earlier this year.

“I think it’s really important,” Inglis said of the close-run finish. “I think we’re going to get in those situations again, and for those guys to have done that today with a World Cup 12 months away, it will leave a good feeling with them, and they’ll have a better idea of how to go about that situation again next time it arises.”

With nine needed off the final over, Ellis launched the first delivery from Wessly Madhevere over long-on, who moments earlier had dropped Ellis in the deep. Ellis’ unbeaten 36 was his highest score in List A cricket.

“I know it [his batting] is something he works on a lot,” Inglis said. “He obviously plays a lot of T20 cricket, and when he comes into bat, he has got the ability to hit a long ball. It was a great shot and got us on the front foot in that last over.”

On his own innings, while Inglis was frustrated at not being able to guide the chase home, he was pleased with the tempo of his innings having missed out in the first two matches of the series.

“We just play a lot of T20 cricket now, and it’s just me finding the right tempo for one day cricket, and I think I sort of found that today. Playing in a slightly different role with a younger team, I’ve probably got to take some more responsibility in batting at No. 4.

“The way I wanted to play was to sort of own those middle overs, just keep the scoreboard ticking over and be there towards the end. I wasn’t there right at the end, but to get there until the 40th over and get a hundred, I’m happy with it.”

Australia now travel to South Africa for another three-match ODI series before the much-anticipated Tests next month. Pat Cummins, who remains the official ODI captain, and Mitchell Starc will link up with the squad with an eye on using the one-day games as part of their Test preparation. Billy Stanlake suffered a side strain in the second match in Harare and his tour is likely over.