Glenn McGrath became the most successful World Cup bowler of all time as Australia restricted Bangladesh to 104 for six in a contest reduced to 22 overs per side. David Clough reports.
Australia wasted little time cashing in on Glenn McGrath's record-breaking feat to romp to a 10-wicket win over Bangladesh in a rain-shortened Super Eight match.
McGrath became the most successful World Cup bowler of all time as Australia restricted Bangladesh to 104 for six in a contest reduced to 22 overs per side.
Adam Gilchrist (59 not out) then scored his 50th one-day international fifty as he and his opening partner Matthew Hayden completed the formalities at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Australia went further clear at the top of the table, with six points after a fifth straight win of this Caribbean campaign.
Bangladesh fell foul of McGrath's accuracy and lost three top-order wickets to the veteran, who finished with three for 16 in his five overs.
It was only the rearguard batting of Saqibul Hasan and captain Habibul Bashar and some late hitting from the promoted Mashrafe Mortaza which just about brought the team a three-figure total.
There was plenty of typically gung-ho intent but little to show for Bangladesh's strokeplayers — put in following a five-hour delay because of overnight rain.
Tamim Iqbal, confined to his crease by Gilchrist standing up to Nathan Bracken, tried a big hit but managed to get the ball airborne only as far as mid-on from the bottom of a cross bat. Brad Hogg took an easy catch, and an over later Shahriar Nafees was yorked by McGrath to take the 37-year-old level with Wasim Akram as the top wicket-taker in the history of the competition.
Aftab Ahmed took 14 from Shaun Tait's first over, but later became McGrath's record-breaking 56th victim — caught by Bracken above his head at mid-off. McGrath made it 57 for good measure in his next over — Mohammad Ashraful getting underneath another attempted hit over the top and falling to a well-judged catch by Ricky Ponting at mid-on.
Australia suffered a setback when all-rounder Shane Watson hurt his left-calf four balls into his second over and had to leave the field. It was a worrying development for a player who missed this winter's Ashes because of a persistent hamstring problem in the same leg.
Saqibul and Habibul needed nine overs to add 28 runs and were parted when the former tried to give himself room only to nick Tait to the 'keeper.
The captain escaped on 13 — Hogg failing to hold a return catch — and he and Mortaza combined to put on 32 in five overs.
It seemed highly unlikely to be enough — and although Gilchrist had one early moment of fortune when he edged Tapash Baisya for four between wicketkeeper and slip, the same bowler was soon leaking a stream of boundaries.
By the time Baisya limped out of the attack after appearing to injure his ankle in delivery stride, the Australian 50 was already up — in less than six overs.
Bangladesh's battery of left-arm spin was testing enough thereafter to delay the inevitable — but nothing more. Gilchrist brought up his landmark half-century with a drive over wide long-off, off the bowling of Mohammad Rafique, for a six to go with his seven fours off 41 balls, and Australia was soon home with more than eight overs to spare.
THE SCORESSuper Eight: Australia v Bangladesh. Australia won by 10 wickets.
Bangladesh: T. Iqbal c Hogg b Bracken 3; S. Nafees b McGrath 1; Aftab Ahmed c Bracken b McGrath 11; S. Hasan c Gilchrist b Tait 25; M. Ashraful c Ponting b McGrath 6; H. Bashar c Ponting b Bracken 24; M. Mortaza (not out) 25; M. Rahim (not out) 2; Extras (w-7) 7. Total (for six wkts., in 22 overs) 104.
Fall of wkts: 1-4, 2-8, 3-25, 4-37, 5-65, 6-97.
Australia bowling: Bracken 4-0-20-2; McGrath 5-0-16-3; Tait 4-0-28-1; Watson 1.4-0-4-0; Hogg 5-0-20-0; Symonds 2.2-0-16-0.
Australia: A. Gilchrist (not out) 59; M. Hayden (not out) 47; Extras 0. Total (for no loss in 13.5 overs) 106.
Bangladesh bowling: Mortaza 4-0-20-0; Baisya 2.5-0-35-0; Aftab 0.1-0-1-0; Razzak 3-0-15-0; Rafique 3-0-21-0; Hasan 0.5-0-14-0.
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