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Marsh’s imperious 177* headlines Australia’s commanding win

Mitchell Marsh headlined Australia’s dominating win against Bangladesh in Pune on Saturday (November 11) as the Pat Cummins-led side ended the league stage of the World Cup with seven wins out of nine ahead of their semifinal clash against South Africa in Kolkata. Bangladesh came up with a collective effort with the bat, with Towhid Hridoy spearheading the effort with a 74, as they posted 306/8, their highest total in this World Cup. But it proved too little against Marsh’s imperious 177* off 132, which came in two century partnerships – 120 with David Warner (53) and 175* with Steve Smith (63*) – as Australia raced to the target with 8 wickets in hand and 5.2 overs to spare.
Travis Head hit a couple of boundaries before he dragged a delivery onto the stumps to give Taskin Ahmed a wicket in the third over. Bangladesh operated with Mahedi Hasan from the other end as they tried to apply some pressure with spin but Marsh ensured there was no stagnation as he hit three fours in an over off the spinner, followed by a boundary and a six off Taskin as well. After a watchful start, Warner also got into the act with two fours in an over off Nasum Ahmed and the left-arm spinner was also hit for a six by Marsh. Mahedi, meanwhile, bowled a couple of quiet overs as Australia moved to 58/1 after 10 overs.
Whenever Bangladesh tried to keep things tight, Marsh provided the release with timely boundaries. Mehidy Hasan was also on the receiving end as he was hit for a four and a six off the first two balls he bowled, and Marsh collected a four off Mustafizur Rahman as well en route to a 37-ball fifty. Warner was pacing his innings well at the other end, rotating the strike and managing fours from time to time, with his fourth boundary helping Australia reach the 100 run mark in the 15th over. Warner struck two more fours, off Nasum in the 19th over – the first one extended the partnership past 100 and the second helped the left-hander reach a 52-ball fifty. Warner, however, was early into a drive and was dismissed by Mustafizur. Najmul Hossain Shanto held on to the ball at mid on but lost control of it when he tried to throw, but the umpires did not check the legality of the catch.
Marsh continued confidently, creaming boundaries off the pace bowlers regularly as he entered the 80s and helped Australia past 150 in the 25th over. He quickly entered the 90s, striking a six and a four off Mehidy, and then got to 100 off 87 balls with a single off Nasum in the 31st over. In the same over, Smith got going with a four and a six while Marsh, after going a bit quiet as he approached three figures, got back to his aggressive ways with sixes off Mehidy and Mustafizur. Marsh was being hampered by cramps, limping between the wickets, but the boundaries did not stop as he struck a couple of them in Nasum’s over, and Smith also hit a four after playing out a maiden from Mustafizur.
The pair brought up a century stand in quick time and Smith got into the 40s, with Bangladesh not able to do much despite all their bowling changes. Marsh was charging towards 150 at the other end, adding to his fours and sixes tally, as Australia crossed 250 in the 39th over. Marsh reached 150 in style, scoring two successive fours off Mustafizur to get to the milestone off 117 deliveries. Smith then got to his 11th World Cup fifty-plus score, equalling Ricky Ponting and Warner, while Marsh continued to toy with the Bangladesh bowling with more maximums. He finished with 17 fours and nine sixes but it was Smith’s fourth boundary that sealed Australia’s commanding win.
Earlier, after Australia opted to bowl, Josh Hazlewood kept it tight at the start but Cummins was a bit erratic, conceding plenty of wides. The Bangladesh openers overcame a cautious start to score regular boundaries as they put on a good partnership. Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das managed 62 in the first powerplay without losing any wicket – their second highest score in this period in this World Cup, which was also the second highest conceded by Australia and also the fourth time they went wicketless. The stand finally came to an end in the 12th over when Sean Abbott had Tanzid fending a short ball back to him. Australia went ahead and tried more short balls but Najmul was prepared as he cracked a couple of pulls off Marsh for boundaries. But the well-set Litton departed soon after, chipping a catch to long on to give Adam Zampa a wicket.
There was an immediate transfer of pressure with Zampa and Head bowling well in tandem but Hridoy eased some of it with a six over midwicket off the legspinner. Najmul and Hridoy then came down the track and unsettled the lengths of Marcus Stoinis, collecting boundaries as a result. Hridoy also took the attack to Head, striking a four and a six, as Bangladesh reached 161/2 at the halfway stage, with the third wicket pair extending their partnership past 50. But it was an abrupt end to the association as a good bit of fielding from Marnus Labuschagne resulted in Najmul being run out for 45. Mahmudullah came out with a positive intent, dealing in sixes, before Labuschagne effected a run out again.
Shortly after Hridoy got to his first World Cup fifty, Mushfiqur Rahim sent an Abbott delivery over the midwicket fence as Bangladesh went past 250 in the 42nd over. But Rahim’s stay was cut short by Zampa, who surpassed Brad Hogg’s 21 wickets in 2007 to register the highest tally by an Australian spinner in a World Cup and finished with figures of 2 for 32. Cummins, meanwhile, had an expensive outing as both Hridoy and Mehidy struck plenty of boundaries. But Hridoy’s outing ended when he hit a full toss from Stoinis to Labuschagne at deep midwicket. A handy 29 from Mehidy helped Bangladesh past 300 but Australia did well in the death, conceding only one boundary in the last four overs.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 306/8 in 50 overs (Tanzid Hasan 36, Litton Das 36, Nalimul Hossain Shanto 45, Towhid Hridoy 74, Mahmudullah 32, Mushfiqr Rahim 21, Mehidy Hassan Miraz 29; Adam Zampa 2-32, Sean Abbott 2-61) lost to Australia 307/2 in 44.4 overs (Mitchell Marsh 177*, Steve Smith 63*, David Warner 53) by 8 wickets.
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Kuhnemann’s four, Webster’s late impact puts Australia on course for 2-0

Sri Lanka’s hopes of setting a tricky chase faded late on day three as Beau Webster provided key contributions with the ball and in the field to inch Australia close to a series victory.
Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis had breathed life into the second Test with an outstanding 70-run partnership as Sri Lanka’s lead grew to 41 runs. But less than 30 minutes before stumps, Mathews lost his concentration on 76 and swept Nathan Lyon to fine leg, where a diving Webster completed a terrific catch.
In another masterstroke from stand-in captain Steven Smith, Webster was handed the ball and unfurled his offspin – instead of seam – to dismiss Ramesh Mendis for a duck.
Webster almost had Prabath Jayasuriya caught and bowled first ball, while Mendis survived a huge lbw shout off Lyon that was given not out by umpire Joel Wilson. Australia unsuccessfully reviewed in an umpire’s call, but Smith’s gut instincts again proved correct when left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was tasked with bowling the final over and he promptly dismissed Jayasuriya.
Sri Lanka lead by just 54 runs with two wickets in hand having lost 3 for 13 in the last five overs. Their chances of victory have effectively evaporated unless Mendis, who finished unbeaten on 48 having been left stranded on 85 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, can produce a miracle.
Sri Lanka had earlier appeared headed for a defeat within three days. Trailing by 157 runs on the first innings, they stared down the barrel of a quick demise at 39 for 3 when Lyon claimed his 550th Test wicket after dismissing Dinesh Chandimal for 12.
Retiring Dimuth Karunaratne had fallen for 14, caught behind off Kuhnemann, bringing down the curtain on his 100 Test career. After prolonging his last moments at the crease with a review in vain, Karunaratne received an embrace from Lyon and Chandimal before walking off to a big ovation from those at the ground, including the Australians.
It was Kuhnemann’s second wicket after he bowled opener Pathum Nissanka with a good length delivery that slid on.
Chandimal had scored a couple of 70s in this series, but needed an even bigger contribution if Sri Lanka were to turn around their dire situation. But after being pinned down, Chandimal lost his patience against Lyon and hit to mid-off, where Webster moved nimbly to take a sharp catch low down.
Mathews and Kamindu Mendis provided some resistance with a 42-run partnership having both received reprieves after missed chances by Alex Carey with the gloves.
Entering the series averaging over 70, Kamindu’s tame series ended when he chipped Lyon to mid-off but skipper Dhananjaya de Silva batted crisply in a 47-run partnership with Mathews.
They moved along with relative ease to chip away at the deficit and Mathews reached his half-century in style with a six over cover off debutant Cooper Connolly, who was used for a couple of overs.
Just when Sri Lanka’s hopes were raised, Smith seemingly dealt them a crushing blow when he completed a sensational one-handed, diving catch at slip after de Silva edged Kuhnemann.
But Mendis came out with an aggressive mindset to rattle a tiring Australia attack amid the humidity. He levelled the scores with a slog sweep off Lyon that sailed into the crowd before lifting Sri Lanka into the lead on the next ball.
Sri Lanka were having arguably their best period with the bat in the series before Mathews’ rush of blood. It was a disappointment for Sri Lanka after their best day of the series ended on a sour note.
Sri Lanka’s attempts at a fightback started when they claimed seven wickets in the morning session to bowl out Australia for 414. Jayasuriya found venomous bite with the second new ball to pick up four of his five wickets in the session.
Smith and Carey’s magnificent partnership of 259 ended less than 20 minutes into the day’s play. In another batting record for Australia in this series, it was the highest fourth-wicket partnership by a visiting pair in Sri Lanka in Tests, bettering the 258-stand between Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh in Pallekele in 2011.
Australia resumed in a powerful position at 330 for 3, but they knew there was work to do in their bid to only bat once in this match. Carey overtook his highest first-class score of 143 in style with a firm sweep that rocketed to the boundary and he also moved past Adam Gilchrist’s 144 as the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper in Asia.
Jayasuriya was rewarded for his attacking line and lengths when Smith’s stout defence was finally breached on 131 by a brilliant delivery that pitched on off stump and gripped off the surface. Smith walked off immediately after feathering an edge and he received a rousing ovation, but his dismissal reinvigorated Sri Lanka and brought a different complexion to the game.
Josh Inglis made his way to the crease one spot lower in the batting-order after spending time off the field during Sri Lanka’s first innings because of a back spasm. After scoring a memorable debut ton in the first Test, Inglis’ stumps were rattled on his second delivery when he played back to a full delivery that skidded on.
Carey on 156 finally succumbed to the sweep, a stroke he had been almost faultless through the innings, when he played over the top of a Jayasuriya delivery and was clean bowled.
All eyes were on Connolly, who boasted a first-class average of 61.80 from four matches but three of those was at the pace-friendly WACA ground.
Connolly has proven to be a big-game performer in his fledgling career, backing his aggressive instincts, and he got off the mark in trademark cavalier fashion with a boundary albeit off a top-edge from a full-blooded sweep.
Sri Lanka 257 & 211 for 8 (Angelo Mathews 76, Kusal Mendis 48*, Matthew Kuhnemann 4-52, Nathan Lyon 3-80) lead Australia 414 (Alex Carey 156, Steven Smith 131, Prabath Jayasuriya 5-151) by 54 runs
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