Australia take series 3-0
Though there was some sting from the 3-0 series loss and Australia’s gargantuan score yesterday, it hardly dampened the mood of Imrul Kayes, Shahriar Nafees and Mahmudullah as the trio decided to give coach Jamie Siddons an enjoyable farewell.
To make it a somewhat memorable last game in charge for Siddons, one of his protégé, Kayes, struck a remarkable 93 while Riyad, someone he has always backed, struck a classy unbeaten 68 batting at four for the first time in his career (and hopefully not his last).
The Tigers ended at 295-6 in 50 overs after Australia threatened to make a mockery of Bangladesh by making 361-5, losing the game by 66 runs. It was the third score of over 350 in less than a year (and sixth overall) against the Tigers as Michael Hussey struck a century true to his character in a continued display of batting belligerence.
Then it was the turn of Tigers opener Imrul who tore into the Australian attack getting a cue from his partner Tamim Iqbal, who made a 17-ball 32. After his brief flurry was ended by a Mitchell Johnson yorker, Imrul and Shahriar Nafees kept up the run-rate with some fine shots, particularly Imrul’s fifth and sixth boundaries that came off consecutive Watson deliveries.
First Imrul unfurled a straight drive and followed it up with a punch through the covers. After batting woefully for a 41-ball 5 in the last game he showed a violent streak with a slogged six over mid-wicket. But his flashed drive at a wide James Pattinson ended his innings for 93, Imrul missing his second ODI hundred.
It also gave the young paceman his first international wicket and ended a 136-run second wicket stand, Bangladesh’s highest ever against Australia. Nafees struck his second successive half-century but skied one to Watson off Johnson for an 86-ball 60 that had four boundaries.
Alok Kapali’s return to the batting crease for the Tigers since September 2008 was completely overshadowed by Riyad’s 61-ball knock (five fours and two sixes) that showed his growing temperament as he helped Bangladesh make their highest ODI score against Australia.
Earlier it was Hussey’s third one-day hundred as he hammered a typically breezy 91-ball 108. The nine boundaries and two sixes came while he rebuild and also lead the charge in the last ten overs; Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and John Hastings hammered 94 runs.
Hussey also survived a dropped catch when he was on 94, the ball bursting through Shakib’s hands in the 48th over.
The last ten almost mirrored Australia’s start after they decided to bat first. Shane Watson began where he left off in the second ODI as he smashed 72 off only 40 balls with eleven boundaries and three sixes.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza bore the brunt of the onslaught, giving away 43 runs off his four overs as Shakib surprisingly decided to let the two paceman face the music and not introduce spinners early. But Mashrafe recovered somewhat, picking up three wickets later on (including his 150th, that of Callum Ferguson) while Abdur Razzak also took three.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
