Shane Watson sets sixes record as Australia thump Bangladesh

Pa
Monday 11 April 2011 11:23 BST
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Shane Watson hit a record 15 sixes to guide Australia to a series-clinching nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in Mirpur today.

The Queenslander ended on 185 not out after hitting the most sixes ever in a one-day international innings as the tourists moved into an unassailable 2-0 lead with one game to play.

Watson's knock came from just 96 balls as Australia chased down their 230 victory target with 24 overs to spare.

Watson also broke two other records: the most runs in boundaries in an ODI innings and also the highest score by an Australian in an ODI.

He also starred in the field with two catches and a wicket as Bangladesh limped to 229 for seven from their 50 overs.

With left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson claiming three for 54, the hosts needed good knocks from Shahriar Nafees (56) and Mushfiqur Rahim (81 not out) to enable them to set any kind of total.

Johnson had Bangladesh in trouble early on as both Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes were caught by Watson, before Raqibul Hasan was bowled for a duck by John Hastings.

Bangladesh laboured their way to 62 in 20 overs, thanks mainly to Nafees, but skipper Shakib Al Hasan could only add nine before being bowled by Steve Smith.

Nafees hit Xavier Doherty for four to bring up his 50 in 68 balls but the glimmer of hope was halted when Smith caught him off his own bowling shortly after.

Rahim and Mahmudullah brought much needed respite with their 79-run stand that boosted Bangladesh's recovery but ended with the latter out lbw to Watson after a patient 38 off 51 balls.

Rahim's defiant strokeplay continued, helping Bangladesh pick up 59 runs in the batting powerplay, in a closing-over blitz that also saw Watson and Brett Lee hit for 14 and 17 respectively in a single over.

In reply, Watson hit three boundaries in the first over to kick-start the chase and followed it up with four sixes to race away to a half-century in just 26 deliveries.

Fellow opener Brad Haddin departed for eight, but Watson carried on regardless and, joined by former captain Ricky Ponting (37 off 42 balls), helped Australia cross the 100 mark inside 15 overs before himself reaching triple figures.

Watson carted Suhrawadi Shuvo four successive times over the boundary in the 22nd over and then broke the sixes record by smashing Abdul Razzaq into the stands three times.

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