Australian ODI captain Aaron Finch has wasted an early review during his side's historic opening fixture against Zimbabwe in Townsville, parting with his first audit on a ball that would have done well to have hit a second set of stumps.

Having thrown the ball to rising all-rounder Cameron Green in an effort to break the tourist's opening stand, the Western Australian's wayward delivery struck Innocent Kaia's pads, sending the cordon into an extended appeal.

Though on-field officials remained unwavering, Finch spent his first of two reviews to remove the 30-year-old, however, after ball-tracking was employed, the Victorian was left with a red face.

As captured by Fox Cricket's cameras, and summarised succinctly by Zero Wicket's own Scott Pryde, Green's leg-side seamer would have missed a second and third leg stump.

Kaia's wicket was eventually claimed by the home side following a sprawling caught-and-bowled effort by Mitchell Marsh in the 11th over, the Harare native departing the crease after a patient 17 from 39 balls.

After 26 overs at the Riverway Stadium in the tropical far north, Zimbabwe's scorecard reads 3-110, with the latest wicket falling via a sublime over-the-head catch from Steve Smith.

Sunday's 50-over fixture at the Australian Rules Football venue marks the first of three in the Sunshine State, with the winter series wrapping up on Saturday, September 3.