MIRPUR, Bangladesh — Opener Cooper Connolly hit his maiden century as Australia overcame a six-wicket haul by pacer Shoriful Islam for a hard-fought one-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the third cricket one-day international to avoid a clean sweep on Sunday.
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The hosts won the first match by 86 runs and the second game by five wickets, both on the DLS method, to register their first ODI series victory against Australia.
Chasing a target of 275, Connolly batted resolutely to hit 149 off 134 balls as Australia appeared set for a victory with ease.
Connolly struck 13 fours and six sixes, including three sixes in a row against pacer Taskin Ahmed in the 45th over, an over in which he scored 21 runs to leave the side needing just 9 runs off 30 balls.
Shoriful returned for his last spell and took three wickets in two overs to finish with a career-best 6-48, briefly raising the prospect of a Bangladesh victory.
But Connolly anchored the innings throughout to bail the side out against a vaunted Bangladesh attack after captain Josh Inglis struck a 12-ball 21 to give the side a fluent start.
“It was tough towards the end. I felt like my whole body was in shock and not wanting to move, but it was nice to play a role in a win for Australia,” Connolly said. “I was a little bit nervous, but I was backing Zampa and Riley (Meredith) to get us over the line. It’s nice to have a win.”
Shoriful helped Bangladesh claw its way back, dismissing Inglis and Matt Renshaw in consecutive deliveries before Connolly shared three 60-plus partnerships to lay the platform for the victory.
He added 64 with Marnus Labuschagne (29), 68 with Cameron Green (27) and 64 with Oliver Peake (27) to edge the side closer to victory.
Australia then lost four wickets for five runs before Zampa sealed the victory with a boundary.
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Earlier, Bangladesh started strongly with three half-centuries from Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das and Mosaddek Hossain to post 274-5.
Hridoy was the top-scorer with 83 while Das made an unbeaten 58, his first fifty-plus knock at Mirpur Stadium in 28 ODI innings.
Mosaddek, who scripted Bangladesh’s 86-run victory in the first match with 80 not out on his return to the national team after four years, finished on 56 not out.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, leading the side in the absence of Mehidy Hasan, who was hit by a bouncer from Nathan Ellis in the second ODI, won the toss and elected to bat first.
“I think 275 was a brilliant score. The way Hridoy and Mosaddek batted, I was really happy to see,” Shanto said. “But if you look at our spin in the middle overs, we didn’t get enough wickets, so that cost us the match.”
Pacer Xavier Bartlett removed Soumya Sarkar for a duck with the fourth ball of the innings before Renshaw, who took 2-44, sent back Shanto and Tanzid Hassan in quick succession, leaving Bangladesh on 61-3.
Hridoy shared 92 runs with Litton, who had to retire after a muscle cramp on 48, and then added 93 with Mosaddek.
Liton returned later to give Bangladesh late impetus as the team managed to post a competitive total.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
