… Hussey hits third ODI century
AUSTRALIA completed a 3-0 whitewash in the one-day international series with Bangladesh after winning the final match in Mirpur by 66 runs.
Shane Watson hit 11 fours and three sixes in 72, sharing an opening stand of 110 inside 12 overs with Ricky Ponting (47) after they chose to bat.
Mike Hussey then struck his third ODI century with 108 in a total of 361-8. For Bangladesh, Imrul Kayes (93) put on 136 in 158 balls with Shahriar Nafees (60) but they closed on 295-6.
It was an improved batting display from Bangladesh, whose coach Jamie Siddons was taking charge for the final time.
They comfortably surpassed previous scores of 210 and 229 but chasing more than seven per over from the outset proved beyond them.
It was Michael Clarke’s first series win since being named Australia’s permanent ODI captain and reward for a professional performance.
Afterwards, Clarke paid tribute to former captain Ponting, saying he was “lucky” to have his predecessor in the team.
“As a young captain I need to keep learning,” said Clarke. “Whenever the team is under pressure or don’t know what to do I can turn to Ricky.”
Watson required only 25 balls to reach his 23rd ODI half-century, one fewer than in his record-breaking century in the previous match.
Ponting was dropped at mid-wicket on four by Abdur Razzak and, after Watson hit four fours in the third over off Shafiul Islam, the former Australia captain struck two fours and a six in the next from Mashrafe Mortaza.
Despite that burst of scoring Ponting was content to play second fiddle to his burly opening partner, scoring 33 against Watson’s 65 as the opening 10 compulsory powerplay overs produced exactly 100 runs.
Watson was the first to fall, deceived by a slower ball from Razzak and bowled attempting another powerful swipe into the legside.
Razzak added the wicket of Ponting, who was lbw missing a sweep in the 16th over.
Hussey reached a typically clinical fifty from as many balls with his fifth four and Clarke made a controlled 47 but lost his off-stump playing across the line to Mortaza during the batting powerplay.
The Bangladesh seamer captured his 150th ODI wicket in his next over when Callum Ferguson drove straight to mid-off.
However Mitchell Johnson pulled a four over mid-wicket followed immediately by successive drives over long-off for six.
Hussey managed to hit a low full toss from Mortaza over mid-wicket for six but was dropped by Shakib Al Hasan at extra-cover on 94, before completing his hundred from 86 balls.
Tamim Iqbal made a confident start to the Bangladesh reply, slicing Johnson over third man for six in the opening over.
The Tigers had taken 35 from the first three overs and Tamim added consecutive boundaries off Johnson before the mercurial left-arm seamer produced a fine yorker that shattered the stumps.
Kayes struck successive boundaries off Watson and cut spinner Xavier Doherty for his eighth four to reach fifty from as many balls.
The opener pulled Watson in savage fashion over mid-wicket for six and slog-swept spinner Clarke for another maximum but in the 31st over, nine short of his second ODI century, he got a thin edge driving an away swinging delivery to give 20-year-old Victorian seamer James Pattinson a maiden wicket on his international debut.
Nafees recorded his second successive half- century, reaching the landmark from 77 balls, before he was deceived by a slower ball from Johnson and top-edged straight up in the air.
Watson dismissed Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim in the same over but Mahmudullah gave the crowd some late entertainment with his fifth ODI fifty, featuring two huge slog-swept sixes off spinners Steve Smith and Doherty. (BBC Sport)

AUSTRALIA innings
S. Watson b Razzak    72
R. Ponting lbw b Razzak    47
M. Clarke b Mortaza    47
S. Smith c & b Shuvo    5
M. Hussey lbw b Islam    108
C. Ferguson c Kapali b Mortaza    3
M. Johnson c Kayes b Mortaza    41
T. Paine lbw b Razzak    7
J. Hastings not out    21
X. Doherty not out    2
Extras: (lb-3, w-4, nb-1)    8
Total: (for eight wickets, 50 overs)    361
Fall of wickets: 1-110, 2-129, 3-142, 4-231, 5-239, 6-309, 7-320, 8-350.
Bowling: Shafiul Islam 8-0-77-1, Mashrafe Mortaza 9-0-80-3 (w-1), Shakib Al Hasan 7-0-48-0 (nb-1), Abdur Razzak 9-0-58-3 (w-1), Suhrawadi Shuvo 5-0-28-1, Alok Kapali 2-0-8-0, Mahmudullah 10-0-59-0 (w-2).
BANGLADESH innings
T. Iqbal b Johnson    32
I. Kayes c Paine b Pattinson    93
S. Nafees c Watson b Johnson    60
Mahmudullah not out    68
Shakib Al Hasan c Doherty b Watson    9
M. Rahim c Smith b Watson    1
A. Kapali c Pattinson b Johnson    13
S. Shuvo not out    3
Extras: (b-2, lb-5, w-9)    16
Toal: (for six wickets, 50 overs)    295
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-179, 3-197, 4-221, 5-223, 6-270.
Bowling: Johnson 9-0-67-3 (w-2), Hastings 9-0-42-0 (w-1), Pattinson 7-0-39-1 (w-1), Watson 9-0-49-2 (w-1), Doherty 6-0-33-0, Smith 8-0-45-0, Clarke 2-0-13-0.