http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 down Bangladesh in series opener- Cricket News
Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 had the ideal start to his stint as captain of the Australian side, leading them to a 60-run triumph over hosts Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
Bangladesh won the toss and decided to put the tourists in with former Bangladesh skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mashrafe-Mortaza-c1917 returning to international action after a long lay-off which included missing the World Cup. Mortaza struck early with the new ball, cleaning up Brad
Haddin as Haddin stepped down the track to him and played down the wrong line. Ricky Ponting and Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 anchored the innings with a quick 65 run stand with Ricky Ponting being the more dominant of the two partners, hitting five fours and a six before
he was run out as Suhrawadi Shuvo threw one from the boundary into the gloves of the keeper who collected and threw it to the other end where Ponting was found short of the crease. Shane Watson followed exactly two overs later as his pad got in the way of
a delivery from Abdur Razzak which was going onto crash into the stumps. Watson left for 37, with the score on 90-3.
Michael Clarke took the responsibility, being the captain of the side, and decided to bat through the innings while also scoring runs and hitting the odd bad ball to the fence. He was being partnered by a struggling Cameroon White on the other end who
toiled extremely hard for his 20 runs, using up 50 balls. He was only able to add 48 runs in 16 overs with Michael Clarke at the other end, before he left the crease, being caught brilliantly by a diving Imrul Kayes at mid-on, despite being dropped barely
minutes earlier at mid-wicket.
Michael Clarke carried on with his style of play, avoiding unnecessary shots and picking ones and twos regularly with Michael Hussey at the other end who gave ample support to his captain in an 84-run stand for the fifth wicket. It was a slow and steady
partnership which ensured that Australia recovered well and did not stumble further. Hussey just managed one boundary in his 51-ball knock of 33 runs. Hussey was eventually dismissed in the 46th over with the score on 222-5, popularly known as double nelson.Then
Steven came and went soon after, being defeated by an off-spinner from Shuvo. Mitchell Johnson then joined his captain and played a delightful cameo of 26 at a strike rate of 200 hitting 2 fours and also a couple of big sixes in his own typical fashion of
getting down on one knee and heaving it over mid-wicket.
Michael Clarke carried on till the final over of the innings after he had scored a terrific century, facing 111 balls for his 101, striking six fours and a couple of sixes to go with it. His superb work led Australia to 270-7 while Johnson and Clarke scored
31 runs in the last two overs of the innings to put the crowd to utter silence.
Bangladesh started off the run chase, losing two early wickets with just 9 runs on the board. Imrul Kayes edged one from Brett http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahriar-Nafees-c2486 followed in the next over, plump in front to a delievery from left-arm
seamer, Mitchell Johnson. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990
joined Tamim Iqbal in a stand of 67 runs,using up 17 overs,with the run-rate climbing up constantly. Eventually Tamim fell under pressure, trying to slam left-arm orthodox spinner, Xavier Doherty over mid-wicket but only managing to find Smith in the deep.
He was the pick of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 batsmen with 62. Shakib fell to the leg spin of Steven Smith for a laboriously made 51 off 90 balls.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahmudullah-c1877 Riad carried on batting till the end, hitting a few pleasant boundaries and hence cheering up the crowd. They made a partnership of 61 off just nine overs, hitting three fours and two sixes in the process to end the Bangladeshi
effort at 210-5 in the allotted 50 overs. Lee, Johnson, Hastings, Doherty and Smith all chipped in with one wicket a piece.
Australia would now want to seal the series on Monday when they play Bangladesh in the second and penultimate ODIs of the series.
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