KEY POINTS:
ST JOHN'S, Antigua - Australia pace bowler Glenn McGrath profited from some rash shots by the youthful Bangladesh batsmen in a rain-shortened Super Eights match this morning to set a record for World Cup wickets.
McGrath, 37, took three for 16 to break Wasim Akram's previous mark of
55 as Bangladesh limped to 104 for six from their 22 overs.
In reply the seasoned Australian opening pair of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden played with almost contemptuous ease to guide the defending champions to a 10-wicket win with 8.1 overs to spare.
Hayden (47) scored the winning runs with two huge sixes off Saqibul Hasan while Gilchrist scored 59, his 50th one-day half-century. The defending champions head the second-round standings with six points.
Play was delayed for five hours at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium after torrential showers over the past 24 hours in Antigua soaked parts of the outfield and an area near the pitch.
When umpires Billy Bowden and Aleem Dar decided the surface was fit for play the match was reduced to 22 overs each with a maximum five overs for two of the bowlers and four each for three others.
McGrath, given the new ball for the first time in his final tournament, bowled his full quota, taking three for nine in his initial four-over spell.
He equalled Akram's previous mark of 55, after starting the World Cup with 45, and extended the mark to 57 by the time his day's work was completed.
McGrath, who will retire from all cricket after the World Cup final in Barbados on April 28, is also this tournament's leading wicket-taker with 12.
Bangladesh's inexperience in a virtual Twenty20 match was soon evident after captain Ricky Ponting had won the toss and decided to field.
McGrath bowled Shahriar Nafees in his second over for one to equal Akram's mark.
In his next over Aftab Ahmed, who had sliced Shaun Tait for six over third man in the meantime, was caught by Nathan Bracken at mid-on from a wild swing for 11.
Mohammad Ashraful followed for six to an equally unproductive slog which soared high in the air to Ponting waiting behind the bowler.
Bracken started the slide when he had Tamim Iqbal caught by Brad Hogg at deep mid-on for three in his second over with the new ball.
He returned to bowl the final over and struck again when captain Habibul Bashar (24) pulled him straight to Ponting at mid-wicket.
Gilchrist and Hayden, who had scored two centuries in his last two innings, were quickly into their stride with some swift running and full-blooded drives.
Hayden struck Tapash Baisya, playing his first game in the tournament, for a brutal six over long-on. In the same over the bowler pulled up in his delivery, tried again to bowl, and decided to leave the field.
Shane Watson left the field with a calf strain after bowling the fourth ball of his second over in the Bangladesh innings.
SCOREBOARD
Bangladesh (22 overs maximum)
Tamim Iqbal c Hogg b Bracken 3
Shahriar Nafees b McGrath 1
Aftab Ahmed c Bracken b McGrath 11
Saqibul Hasan c Gilchrist b Tait 25
Mohammad Ashraful c Ponting b McGrath 6
Habibul Bashar c Ponting b Bracken 24
Mashrafe Mortaza not out 25
Mushfiqur Rahim not out 2
Extras (w-7) 7
Total (6 wickets, 22 overs) 104
Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-8 3-25 4-37 5-65 6-97
Bowling: Bracken 4-0-20-2 (1w), McGrath 5-0-16-3 (1w), Tait 4-0-28-1 (4w), Watson 1.4-0-4-0, Hogg 5-0-20-0, Symonds 2.2-0-16-0 (1w)
Australia
A.Gilchrist not out 59
M.Hayden not out 47
Extras 0
Total (0 wickets; 13.5 overs) 106
Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 4-0-20-0, Tapash Baisya 2.5-0-35-0, Aftab Ahmed 0.1-0-1-0, Abdur Razzak 3-0-15-0, Mohammad Rafique 3-0-21-0, Saqibul Hasan 0.5-0-14-0
Result: Australia won by 10 wickets
Man-of-the-match: Glenn McGrath (Australia)
- REUTERS