Martyn leads charge after spin prevails

Bangladesh 147 Australia 148-1 Australia win by 9 wickets

Australia cruised to a nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh here yesterday to take a winning 2-0 lead in three-match one-day series.

The Australians reached their modest target in 20.2 overs with Damien Martyn leading the charge, scoring 92 runs from 51 balls and hitting 16 boundaries including one six. Michael Bevan notched his 40 at a more sedate pace to be with Martyn at the end. Andrew Symonds was Australia's only casualty, caught by Sanwar Hossain off Hasibul Hossain.

The foundations for their second straight win here were built by Darren Lehmann and Brad Hogg, who claimed three wickets apiece as Bangladesh, who chose to bat first, were dismissed for 147. But the modest total did mark an improvement for the visitors, who were all out for 105 in the first match on Saturday and lost by eight wickets.

"I'm not concerned about losing, but I am concerned about the way you lose," said the Bangladesh coach, Dav Whatmore, "and I was really appalled at the way some of our batsmen made decisions today and just their basic cricket knowledge."

Lehmann, playing in his 100th one-day international, finished with 3 for 16 off 4.1 overs while Hogg returned 3 for 31, both left-arm spinners recording their best figures in one-day internationals.

The third and final match of the series will be played in Darwin on Wednesday.