BAN vs AUS: Cooper Connolly's masterclass helps Australia avoid whitewash in Dhaka

Australia managed to save themselves from a whitewash with a thrilling one-wicket victory in the third ODI against Bangladesh on Sunday, June 14, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. After opting to bat first, Bangladesh posted a good score of 274/5 in their allotted 50 overs, riding on a magnificent innings from Towhid Hridoy (83 off 88).

Apart from him, Litton Das (58* off 78) and Mosaddek Hossain (56* off 61) also made valuable contributions, rescuing Bangladesh from a precarious position of 61/3 after 14.1 overs. For Australia, Xavier Bartlett (2/47) and Matt Renshaw (2/44) scalped two wickets each.

In reply, Australia thrillingly chased down the target in 49.3 overs, riding on a maiden ODI century from Cooper Connolly. Shoriful Islam bowled his heart out to script an improbable win for Bangladesh with a six-wicket haul. However, Australia held their nerve and eventually got over the line. Despite their win, Bangladesh won the series by 2-1, having won the first two matches.

Top run-scorer of the Match

Top wicket-taker of the Match

Player of the Match

Cooper Conolly was adjudged Player of the Match for playing the innings of his life. He scored a scintillating 149 (134), laced with 13 fours and six sixes, holding one end for his team as wickets continued to tumble from the other. Connolly was the lone warrior in the run chase, with the next best score from Australia being 29.

He was dismissed in the penultimate over, leaving his team four runs away from victory. Adam Zampa eventually got Australia over the line with a boundary in the last over, scripting a thrilling one-wicket victory for his side.

Meanwhile, Mosaddek Hossain was adjudged Player of the Series for scoring 157 runs (second highest) in the series, along with taking two wickets. 

Turning Point

Bangladesh were left ruing their dropped chances following Australia’s victory, as Tanvir Islam dropped a difficult chance of Cooper Connolly, when he was on 103, off his own bowling. Later, Mustafizur Rahman also failed to hold on to a difficult chance off his bowling, dropping Ben Dwarshius on 1. Adam Zampa was also dropped at gully on a duck before he hit the winning runs for Australia.

What did the captains say:

Winning Captain, Josh Inglis (Australia): 

(You must be very pleased?) Yeah, very pleased. It was quite nervy sat in the change rooms there for the last 20 minutes or so, but no, it was nice to get over the line. (275 was the target. Did you have that belief to chase it down?) Yeah, we definitely did. It was a very good surface. It felt really nice in the power play. And then we all saw one of the great knocks going around. I think really special from Connolly, what he did tonight. He kept us in the game throughout. I thought he was really calm the way he managed those middle overs and the partnership throughout. And yeah, Zampa and Riley got us over the line at the end. (What was going through your mind there, everyone was at the edge?) Yeah, a bit of the same. I was like, oh, please, let us win one. It's been a tough series for us. Bangladesh have played outstandingly well here. So it was nice to get a win tonight. (It was a contribution right at the top of the order) Yeah, absolutely. I think we saw how much he (Connolly) was cramping throughout his innings. And I think the way he managed that was really good. He scored quickly, so it brought us some time at the back end there when we were losing wickets. But I think obviously an outstanding knock. But I think we had more partnerships through the middle order today. I think we had three 60 plus run partnerships. So it put us in a better position to chase the total. (Connolly looks a solid opener right at the top of the order) Yeah, absolutely. He's a great ball striker. He's very versatile. He can bat from 1 to 7 and we've seen him do that. But I think the way we've seen him play today, he looks very good at the top.

Losing Captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh):  

Very happy. I think the way we played last three matches, I'm really proud of the boys and especially today, the way we played, especially the last few overs, came back strongly. That's what we need, that character in the field. Everyone believed that we can come back anytime. So, really happy the way we played. (Still felt that maybe a few runs could have been scored more?) I think 275, brilliant score. I think the way Hridoy and Mosaddek batted, really happy to see. But in the middle overs, if you look at our spinners didn't get enough wickets. So that cost us the match today, but it can happen in cricket. But the way Shoriful bowled with the new ball and the middle overs and the last few overs, it was nice to see. And then he showed a lot of character, not playing the last two matches and coming back this one. And it's not easy, but the way he bowled, really happy to see. And then I hope he will continue his bowling. (Given an opportunity to Shoriful Islam and to see what he did, it is magnificent for Bangladesh?) Yeah, very happy. I think that's what we need as bowling unit. If you look at Taskin, Mustafizur, and there are some bowlers also on the bench. They worked really hard last few years. I think they had a very healthy competition in the dressing room. So that's why we got the result. But again, we need to improve a lot of areas, still I can believe.