Australia had sputtered on their way to four wins but roared to full power to notch a fifth and all-but confirm a World Cup semi-final place with a 48-run win. Bangladesh have a remote chance of joining them, but their travelling support made sure they went down singing and dancing in a joyful riposte.
Australia justified Trent Bridge’s high-scoring reputation, slamming 381 for five. Bangladesh were never truly in the chase, but Mushfiqur Rahim drove a sparkling reply of 333 for eight that was celebrated every step of the way, raising a century and his nation’s highest one-day score.
Australia’s David Warner has sputtered but succeeded like his team, at times scoring uncharacteristically slowly. On Thursday, he struggled early, but as the day wore on he grew in confidence and aggression, ending with 166 from 147 balls, and becoming the highest scorer in the World Cup with 447.
“We knew that sort of wicket is always difficult to bowl,” said the Bangladesh captain, Mashrafe Mortaza, of the flat pitch on which Australia chose to bat first. “A player like [Warner], it’s very difficult. But at the same time I’d say that we got a few chances, which we couldn’t take.”
As for Warner, he was chuffed to draw level with a former Australian great’s mark of 16 ODI centuries. “I’m just so grateful for being able to have the opportunity to play for Australia and to be in the same sentence as Adam Gilchrist is fantastic and it’s overwhelming.”
Aaron Finch initially looked in better nick, but fell for 53. Usman Khawaja at first drop eventually flourished, showing a range including reverse sweeps and uppercuts on his way to 89 from 72.
But the fireworks were reserved for the entrance of Glenn Maxwell with 34 balls remaining. In the space of 10 balls he pulled, drove and steered 32 runs, the highlight being an off-balance helicopter shot played while falling over to the off-side, the ball soaring over cover and landing on the boundary rope for six. The show came to an end when Khawaja refused a sharp single, and Maxwell was run out turning back to his ground.
Bangladesh’s opening batsman Soumya Sarkar was the unlikely hero with the ball, dismissing Finch, Warner and Khawaja to net three for 58 from eight overs.
But Australia’s total was mountainous anyway and Warner was not bothered by suggestions that he and Australia have batted too slowly at the start of their innings.
“Whether we’re batting slow or fast, you’re going to get some form of criticism somewhere,” he said. “But I felt the way we batted today, we tried to take it as deep as we did and we ended up getting 380. That’s just the way we’re playing at the moment and we can only adapt to the conditions that are in front of us.”
In Soumya’s main job, he was run out for 10. Tamim Iqbal pulled and swept 62, while Shakib Al Hasan settled for second place on the run list thanks to 41, his first time short of a half-century in this tournament. Liton Das followed his matchwinning 94 against West Indies by being smashed on the head first ball by Mitchell Starc. He was out to Adam Zampa’s leg spin for 20.
But Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah went on a careering partnership worth 127, one that blossomed as the afternoon grew golden. Mushfiqur’s cover drives and square carves were as gorgeous as Mahmudullah’s hits off Zampa were effective, with one lofted six reaching the top tier of the stand at the Radcliffe Road end to jubilant applause on his way to 69.
“The batsmen are showing their courage,” said Mortaza of his team that have now topped 300 against South Africa, West Indies and Australia. “If you look at our batting, everyone has been batting with some intent.”
Source: The Guardian
-Agencies
