Aussie's leave Bangladesh hungry

Link to Original: http://3degree.cci.ecu.edu.au/articles/view/366

Aussie's leave Bangladesh hungry
By Glenn Knight
12 May 2006

It was a cricket tour that Australia didn't want to participate in due to a percieved lack of competition. By the end Australia had won every game, but Bangladesh showed that they were no longer the cricket world's whipping boys.

It was a tour that started off with the unimaginable almost occurring. Australia, after a hard test series in South Africa, was on the ropes against a spirited Bangladeshi cricket team.

The first test saw the Australian bowling attack of Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and Jason Gillespie struggle on a pitch that gave them little to work with.

Shahriar Nafee took advantage of the favourable batting conditions to score his maiden first-class 100 and helped his side to a 427 first innings total. His innings of 138 included a record highest run partnership of 187 in Bangladeshi first-class cricket with Habibul Bashar (76).

Australia struggled in reply to be 6 for 93, thanks largely to the bowling of Mohammad Rafique who ended the innings on 5 for 62, however a recovery lead by Adam Gilchrist (144) saw Australia’s innings close at 269.

The Bangladeshi second innings was a dismal display. Scoring only 148, Australia was left a challenging 307 for victory. Captain Ricky Ponting regained his impressive form, scoring 118 to lead Australia to a lucky first test victory by three wickets. Rafique again bowled impressively with figures of 4 for 98 in the second innings.

The second test will go down in history as featuring one of the greatest batting displays by one of the game’s least likely cricketers. Bangladesh was bowled out for a low 197 on the first day.

Australia’s first innings saw pace bowler Jason Gillespie come to the wicket as night watchman with the score at 1 for 67. Gillespie batted through the rest of day one and day two, and entered the record books on the third day by bringing up his maiden first-class century.

He was well supported by Mike Hussey who made 182 before his wicket fell. By the time Australia declared at 4 for 581 on the fourth day, Gillespie had scored an impressive 201 runs, a rare feat for a player who had not previously scored a century in his entire cricketing career. After the innings Gillespie was a reluctant to accept the accolades.

“This is ridiculous,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald. “I was just lucky that the shots came off and I had a bit of a laugh all the way. It’s unbelievable. It’s a fairytale, really. Hansel and Gretel and Dizzy’s double hundred, it’s one and the same. Absolute fairytale,” he said.

Early in the innings Phil Jacques continued his push for a permanent spot with an impressive 66. Ponting also enjoyed some time at the crease with another half century before being dismissed for 52.

The only highlight for Bangladesh was Nafee’s continued form. His 79, in conjunction with Mohammad Rafique’s 65 in the second innings, showed that there is promise in the batting department for Bangladesh.

Unfortunately for them, the Australian spin trio of Warne, MacGill and test debutant Daniel Cullen tore through the Bangladeshi side with relative ease.

Warne’s eight wickets and MacGill’s seven for the match saw Australia win by an innings and 80 runs. The series win leaves Australia unbeaten at test level since the Ashes series against England. Gillespie was also named Man of the Series.

Boosted by their test success Australia looked to make a statement in the one-day series and atone for their upset loss to Bangladesh last year. Bangladesh managed to score 195 from their 50 overs, with Brad Hogg enjoying figures of 3 for 37.

Bashar (52) and Khaled Mashud (27) added 54 for the sixth wicket, the only partnership of note in the innings.

In reply, Gilchrist showed why he is considered the best one-day batsman with a blazing 76 off 46 deliveries to open the Australian innings. Australia faulted to be 5 for 155 but was lead to a four-wicket victory thanks the batting of Hussey (36) and Lee (12).

The second one-day international saw Australia seal a series victory. In a display of powerful batting Andrew Symonds (103) and Michael Clarke (54) lead Australia to a comfortable 4 for 250 from their 50 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza was the best of the Bangladeshi bowlers with figures of 3 for 54. Bashar was again the only shining light in the locals’ run chase. His innings of 70, before losing his wicket to Clarke, started a Bangladeshi collapse.

Losing their last four wickets for only 26 runs, Bangladesh fell 67 runs short of the Australian total. Hogg again was impressive with the ball, ending the game with 3 for 34.

Any hope of a face-saving win by the locals in the third and final game was soon forgotten as Australia, using eight bowlers, rolled Bangladesh for 124.

Hogg continued his excellent form bowling 3 for 17. Young Queensland ‘quick’ Michell Johnson showed a glimpse of what he’s capable of with 2 for 24 from his eight overs.

In reply, debutante South Australia batsman Mark Cosgrove smashed 74 to help Australia surpass the target of 125 in only 22.4 overs and give the tourists a 3–0 sweep of the series. Hogg was rewarded for his fine bowling throughout by being named Man of the Series.