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McGrath breaks record as Aussies win
AP, BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS
Monday, Apr 02, 2007, Page 18
Glenn McGrath set a World Cup record and Australia brushed aside Bangladesh by 10 wickets on Saturday to add more proof that they are the best cricket team on the planet.
Paceman McGrath captured three wickets and passed former Pakistan great Wasim Akram for the most World Cup victims. He has 57 to Akram's 55.
After McGrath's 3-16 had helped Australia restrict Bangladesh to 104 for six in a match reduced to 22 overs because of rain, the Aussie batsmen turned on the style.
Adam Gilchrist scored 59 and Matthew Hayden (47) launched two sixes in the final over to finish the match with more than eight of the 22 overs remaining.
Ponting had won the toss and asked Bangladesh to bat first.
After Nathan Bracken removed Tamim Iqbal with only four runs on the board, McGrath tied Akram's record of 55 World Cup wickets by bowling Shahriar Nafees for one at 8-2.
In his next over, McGrath made the record his own when Bracken stretched his arms to take a great catch at mid-on to dismiss Aftab Ahmed at 25-3 in the sixth over.
McGrath also snapped up the fourth with the score on 37 before Saqibul Hasan and Habibul Bashar stopped the rot with a fifth-wicket partnership of 28.
Gilchrist survived a chance in the second over when he edged a catch past wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and Bangladesh also squandered a chance to capture Hayden early.
But there was never any doubt who would win and the Australians cantered to another lopsided victory.
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