Fast bowler Dirk Nannes took four wickets as Australia beat Bangladesh by 27 runs at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday to advance into the second round of the World Twenty20.
Bangladesh, who needed to win the match convincingly to knock out either Group A rivals Australia or Pakistan on superior run-rate, reduced Australia to 65 for six inside 13 overs after Aussie captain Michael Clarke won the toss, but man-of-the-match Michael Hussey held firm with an unbeaten 47 and was supported in a seventh-wicket stand of 74 in seven overs by Steven Smith (27) as Australia finished 141 for seven.
On a pitch full of pace and bounce, Bangladesh — who have often struggled against fast bowling — collapsed to 15 for four as they failed to cope with Nannes and fellow quick Shaun Tait.
Left-armer Nannes finished with figures of four for 18 — an Australian Twenty20 international record — as Bangladesh were bowled out for 114 with eight balls to spare.
“It’s a very satisfying win,” Clarke said. “Our top order didn’t perform as well as we would have liked today [Wednesday], but to scrape our way to 140, ‘Huss’ played a wonderful innings as he always seems to do when we are under pressure and young Steven Smith batted really well.”
“Our execution with the ball was spot on, these conditions are really going to help our fast bowlers,” Clarke said “There was a lot of pace and bounce in that wicket and a bit of spin as well.”
Tait struck in the first over, Imrul Kayes caught at mid-on for a duck. Mohammad Ashraful also fell for a duck, well caught by a diving Tait at third-man off Nannes.
Aftab Ahmed and Mahmudullah (both 1) also couldn’t handle Nannes’ pace.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan (28) gave Bangladesh renewed hope in a stand of 48 with Mushfiqur Rahim before he was caught on the boundary by Michael Hussey, who just stayed inside the ropes, to leave the Tigers 63 for five and there was no way back.
“We need to be much more disciplined and think one step ahead so we can win some games,” Shakib said.
Australia, who lost both their matches at last year’s World Twenty20, begin their Super Eights campaign against India today.
In the later day-night match, South Africa won through to the second round with a 59-run win as newcomers Afghanistan were bowled out for just 80.
The Afghanistan top order had no answer to fast bowlers Morne Morkel, the man of the match, with four wickets for 20 runs, Dale Steyn (two for six) and Charl Langeveldt (three for 12).
Afghanistan fast bowler Hamid Hassan, who earlier took an impressive three wickets, took his team’s score off a record-low 67 by swinging left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe for six. Hassan (22) and fellow tailender Mirwais Ashraf (23) prevented what had looked like a record-breaking rout, although South Africa still won with four overs to spare.
Afghanistan, who only a few years ago were playing the likes of Jersey and Denmark, had no answer to the pace of South Africa’s quicks and collapsed to 12 for five in pursuit of a victory target of 140, but Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan was proud of how his side had performed in their first major international tournament.
“With each stage they are going a step higher,” Khan said. “Today, to restrict a batting line-up like South Africa to 139 is a big achievement, so there are all sorts of pluses for them. They key is they need to be exposed to that pressure again and again, and then they’ll get used to it.”
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