A ruthless Australian women’s cricket team has shown little mercy to Bangladesh, thumping the hosts by eight wickets to clean sweep their ODI series.
Already 2-0 up, Allyssa Healy won the toss at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday and had little hesitation in bowling.
Opening pair Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry dominated early, removing the top three batters – Fargana Hoque (5), Sumaiya Akter (0) and Murshida Khatun (8) – by the end of the eighth over with just 24 on the board.
The hosts never recovered and stumbled throughout the innings, losing wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 89 in 26.2 overs.
It could have been more embarrassing for the Bangladeshis though as Australia bowled 14 wides, helping extras finish top scorer with 20.
Wicketkeeper/skipper Nigar Sultana was next best with 16, which she made off 39 deliveries.
Garth claimed 3-11 in seven overs to claim the player-of-the match honours, while Ash Gardner (3-25), Perry (2-17) and Sophie Molineux (2-23) provided solid support.
Australia didn’t waste much time to knock off the paltry target with Healy (33 off 34 balls), Perry (27no) and Beth Mooney (21no) helping reach 2-93 in 18.3 overs.
The two wickets to fall were Healy – leg before to Rabeya Khatun – and Phoebe Litchfield, who was caught and bowled by Sultana Khatun for 12.
Gardner’s three-wicket haul earned her the player-of-the-series gong, given her exploits in the opening matches.
The spinner made 32 and took 3-22 in the first clash, while in the second claimed 2-22 and an undefeated 20. Gardner finished with 8-69 in the series.
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Australia will now meet Bangladesh in three T20s, the first of which will be played on Sunday, March 31, and will be followed by matches on Tuesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 4.