Related Links : Aus in Bangladesh : Scorecard
The Australians made sure that Cardiff wasn’t repeated at Fatullah as they successfully defended their total of 250. The visitors bundled out the homeside for just 183 to secure a 67 runs win. Bangladesh were never in the hunt as they lost three early wickets and then Javed Omar and Habibul Bashar batted way too slowly to keep the required run rate mounting on Bangladesh. Javed Omar was out slogging a slower delivery from Michael Hussey and after that Habibul Bashar took some calculated risks by chipping down the track to the spinners and getting a few boundaries. But Bangladesh didn’t get the much needed big expensive overs and Habibul Bashar soon fell trying to do the impossible.
The Bangladesh Skipper did get to his 3rd consecutive half century but his slow start meant that Bangladesh’s required run rate was always on the higher side. He did get one more partnership with wicket keeper Khaled Mashud going for a while just to give the crowd some hope. Once the Bangladesh innings entered the last phase, wickets kept falling regularly as most of the batsmen went for the big shots to play them straight to the fielders in the deep. Brad Hogg and Michael Clarke picked up 5 wickets among themselves and for Bangladesh it was their skipper who top scored with 70 which had come off 114 balls with the help of 7 hits to the fence.
In the morning, it was Ricky Ponting who won the toss and elected to bat first. Adam Gilchrist got off to a flier scoring boundaries at will but he fell playing half cock to Mortaza, the same bowler who was lofted by him for a six over long on. After Gilchrist was gone, Mortaza struck twice removing Ponting and Katich. Ponting was dismissed looking for a pull shot off a ball which wasn’t short enough to be pulled and Katich was done in by a wide slower delivery. After the loss of those three wickets, Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds worked their way in the middle and soon got used to the pace of the surface. The pair took their partnership to 140 before Clarke was gone trying to clear the man at covers. Symonds then partnered with Hussey to score 45 in the last 5 overs with Hussey falling in the last ball of the Australian innings. Andrew Symonds who worked hard to get his timing right remained unbeaten on a brilliant hundred and he did hit two towering sixes in a Rajin Saleh’s over.
The Australians have been a tired bunch and their last encounter for this season would be at this same venue after a day’s break that is on the 28th at this same venue. Bangladesh would be disappointed of not trying that hard to win this game but slowly and steadily they are looking to compete at the International Level and so far they have made the Aussies sweat under the heat.