Bangladesh Women’s team failed to make their first-ever ODI in a bilateral series on Australian soil a memorable one after tasting a crushing seven-wicket defeat to the hosts at Allan Border Field in Brisbane today.
Put into bat first, the visiting Bangladesh side piled up 166 before being all out in 49.4 overs, a total that the cricket experts dubbed at least 100 runs short to challenge a team like Australia at their own den.
Australia, however, eased past the target in just 25.4 overs, reaching 168-3.
Amid Bangladesh’s meek surrender, debutant pacer Habiba Islam Pinky showed a glimpse of her talent, claiming 2-36.
She denied Australia a flying start, getting rid of its opener Georgia Voll for 19 as Australia were reduced to 30-1 in the sixth over.
However, it mattered little for the World’s No.1 team, as Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry made the chase a cakewalk by sharing 89 runs for the second wicket.
Rabeya Khan broke the partnership by dismissing Litchfield, who hammered 57 off 77 balls with 10 fours and one six.
Habiba then came back to take the wicket of Beth Mooney on 13, but Perry and Annabel Sutherland sailed the side home with further trouble.
Perry was not out on 26 with Sutherland on 25 when Australia confirmed the victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier, Sutherland snapped up 4-30 to derail Bangladesh’s batting. She was aptly supported by Megan Schutt, who took 2-19. Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Tahlia McGrath picked up one wicket apiece.
Bangladesh opener Farjana Haque Pinky and Sarmin Sultana were dismissed in single-digit figures to give the side a horrible start.
Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and Sharmin Akter Supta made 29 and 24 runs respectively, but Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals.
No.7 batter Ritu Moni, however, made 45 off 63 to help the side go past the 150-run mark, but that proved to be insufficient against arguably the greatest team in Women’s cricket history.
Source: https://www.tbsnews.net/sports/cricket/tigresses-maiden-australia-tour-bilateral-series-begins-defeat-1567576
