Australia is in red-hot form ahead of the World Cup semi-finals, having secured a seventh-consecutive victory against Bangladesh in Pune on Saturday.
The five-time champions chased down the 307-run target with 32 balls to spare at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, courtesy of a career-best 177* from Mitchell Marsh.
The West Australian, who cleared the boundary ope nine times, was supported by opener David Warner and Steve Smith, who both cracked fifties during the cruisy run chase.
Australia will next face South Africa in the second semi-final at Wankhede’s Eden Gardens on Thursday, with the first ball scheduled for 7.30pm AEDT.
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Caught cleanly? Warner walks for 53 | 00:30
MARSH IS KEY TO AUSSIE WC GLORY
Mitch Marsh has rewarded the faith instilled in him by the Aussie selectors to put him at the top of the ODI batting order in recent years, and the legendary Ricky Ponting believes the bighitting all-rounder will have to play a big role if Australia is to win this World Cup.
Marsh entered the middle on Saturday with the Aussies in an early hole after Travis Head’s dismissal for 10, but despite facing a record-breaking run chase and his country one-for not much, the ‘Bison’ didn’t waste any time getting his eye in.
The 32-year-old scored his first 20 runs in just 12 balls, and that set the scene for an entertaining 177 not out off 132 balls.
Marsh missed Australia’s group-stage win over England after flying home for his grandfather’s passing, but in his second game back in India, he was simply electric with the bat.
It was his third score over 50 for the tournament from eight innings and second century.
Ponting says Marsh’s form at number three in the upcoming finals series, starting with Thursday’s semi-final against South Africa, is going to be key to Australia’s hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy.
“He I think is such a big player for the rest of this World Cup for Australia in that number three position,” Ponting said in commentary.
“Thinking that Australia comes up against South Africa in the semi-finals and their fast bowling attack has been going really well.
“If Australia make it through to the final and potentially take on India they’ll face the likes of Bumrah, Shami and Siraj, so the top order batsman of Australia have got to be able to get the job done.
“If he can go into this semi-final with a big score under his belt, he’ll be full of confidence.”
Marsh has spent most of his career batting around six and seven in the Australian batting order, but has more recently parachuted up the scorecard, delivering time and time again.
He started the tournament opening the batting with David Warner, scoring a century against Pakistan, but since Travis Head returned from a wrist injury, Marsh was pushed down to number three.
To have three pure strikers of the ball in Head, Warner and Marsh at the top, the Aussies essentially have the luxury of having three openers in their line-up.
Marsh is confident in Australia’s chances of winning it all this year, texting his teammates before flying home that he would return “to win this World Cup”.
If he keeps this form going, there’s no reason why he can’t fulfil that prophecy.
MARNUS CHANNELS HERO IN FIELDING CLINIC
After being asked to bat first in Pune, the Tigers were cruising at 2-170 in the 28th over, with stand-in skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Taowhid Hridoy seeing them well.
Enter Marnus Labuschagne, who single-handedly turned the game in Australia’s favour and ended the innings of two batters in good nick.
Labuschagne quickly chased down a ball behind square leg before turning and throwing the ball at the keeper’s end in one motion, which was corralled by Josh Inglis, who in turn knocked off the bails to thwart Bangladesh’s attempt of the second run.
The run out ended the innings of Shanto, who hadn’t looked like getting out prior.
Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting, one of the best fielders to don the green and gold, lauded Labuschagne’s technique.
“It was a great piece of fielding. The thing that he did best is the side of the ball he dives on. He runs around the back of the ball but slides on that side so he can get up with the ball in his throwing hand. That’s where he saves all the time,” Ponting said in commentary.
“Terrific piece of fielding, quick, up, release, out. Great cricket from Labuschagne.”
Run-out NIGHTMARE for Bangladesh | 00:42
The new Bangladeshi batter to the crease, Mahmudallah, came out with plenty of intent and quickened the run rate with three sixes in his first 20 balls as the Tigers raced past 200.
However, it would be Marnus once again that cruelled Bangladesh and halted their momentum in the 36th over, just eight overs after his first run out.
Showing off a lightning quick turn of pace, Labuschagne stylishly met a ball blocked into the covers before diving and under-arming it into the stumps, ending the innings of the red-hot Mahmudallah, who was trying to attempt a quick single.
According to former Australian opener Matthew Hayden, it was Jonty Rhodes-esque, the former South African star who happens to be one of Labuschagne’s cricketing heroes.
“Jonty Rhodes like, Ricky Ponting like,” Hayden said.
“Masters of cutting the angles down.”
Even after two impressive run outs, Labuschagne wasn’t done in the field, taking a catch on the boundary to dismiss the dangerous Hridoy for 74.
“If there was a fielder of the tournament award, Labuschagne would be right at the top in my opinion. He is in the hot spots time and time again,” former New Zealand bowler Simon Doull said in commentary.
Speaking during the innings break, Labuschagne revealed what the key was in causing the two run outs.
“I think it’s more just the awareness, where you think the run out is going to be as well as early speed to the ball,” Labuschagne explained.
“I do a lot of work on stump hitting, sliding around and getting my body into the right positions.”
Bangladesh would reach 300 on a batting-friendly Pune pitch, but without Labuschagne’s heroics, the Tigers could have very easily ended up with a score north of 350.
‘IN COMMAND’: SMITH IS BACK
Look out, South Africa. Steve Smith is back.
The 34-year-old was far from his best during the early stages of the tournament, passing fifty once in Australia’s opening seven group-stage matches. Apart from his rapid fifty against the Netherlands in Delhi, he hasn’t contributed much to Australia’s World Cup campaign.
However, the New South Welshman offered a glimpse of his excellence in Pune on Saturday, cracking an unbeaten 63 in Australia’s thumping eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh.
Smith, who cracked four boundaries and a six, combined with centurion Mitchell Marsh for a 175-run partnership for the third wicket, guiding Australia towards the 307-run target with 32 balls to spare.
“It’s been a big confidence builder for Steve Smith, this innings,” former Australian teammate Shane Watson said in commentary.
“You can see in his body language as well, he looks a little bit more at ease.
“He’s a bit more calm, a bit more in control, a bit more in command.”
Perhaps the most reassuring aspect of Smith’s knock was how he played Bangladesh’s spinners. The right-hander has struggled against in India throughout the tournament, falling victim to tweakers on five occasions.
Before Saturday’s knock in Pune, Smith was averaging 15.40 against spin bowlers in the World Cup, compared to 64.00 against the quicks. However, he looked in complete control against the Tigers, judging length quickly and rorting the strike with ease — the timing was back, the footwork was back, the judgement was back.
Australia will be desperate for Smith to carry that momentum into the semi-finals.
‘PIVOTAL’ MAXWELL SORELY MISSED
Glenn Maxwell was sorely missed in Pune on Saturday, but perhaps not for the reason you’d think.
After spinner Ashton Agar was ruled out of the World Cup due to injury, Maxwell was identified as Australia’s second strike spinner, partnering Adam Zampa.
The Victorian hasn’t taken a bag of wickets in India over the past four weeks, but he’s kept things tight in the middle overs; his economy rate of 4.95 is comfortably the lowest among Australians in the World Cup.
Maxwell, who has essentially served as Australia’s fifth bowler throughout the tournament, missed the dead rubber against Bangladesh to recover from his heroic double-century in Mumbai.
In his absence, fellow all-rounders Marcus Stoinis, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh were tasked with making up the lost overs.
However, Bangladesh’s batters feasted on the trio’s bowling at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, collectively contributing 1-126 from 15 overs. The lone wicket was a full toss from Stoinis that Towhid Hridoy smacked directly towards deep mid-wicket.
Maxwell’s value with the ball has perhaps been overlooked.
“(Maxwell) as the second spinner has been really pivotal in the role that he’s played,” Australian coach Andrew McDonald told reporters earlier this week.
“We talk about him and his batting in one space, but I think his bowling has allowed us to function as a team different to potentially how we saw it coming in and potentially how everyone else saw it coming in.”
Economy rate in 2023 World Cup
4.95 — Glenn Maxwell
5.01 — Josh Hazlewood
5.26 — Adam Zampa
5.42 — Travis Head
5.50 — Cameron Green
6.10 — Sean Abbott
6.15 — Pat Cummins
6.55 — Mitchell Starc
7.52 — Marcus Stoinis
8.27 — Mitchell Marsh
AUSSIES ONCE AGAIN ‘HURT’ BY WICKETLESS POWERPLAY
Australia’s new-ball bowling has been a concern throughout the World Cup, and the team’s seamers were once again ineffective during the Powerplay against Bangladesh on Saturday.
Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field first in Pune, declaring he expected the ball to swing early. However, that wasn’t the case, with Bangladesh racing towards 0-62 after ten overs at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The Australians have only taken 11 wickets during the Powerplay in the World Cup thus far, which ranks eighth among the ten competing nations.
“That’s got to be a worry for them,” former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said in commentary.
Test legend Matthew Hayden continued: “Australia have found themselves in the Powerplay getting hurt, because they haven’t been getting wickets.”
When bowling first in this World Cup, Australia has conceded opening partnerships of 108, 125, 38 and 76. Apart from last month’s series opener against India, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have rarely created breakthroughs with the new ball, while captain Cummins has not taken a wicket in the Powerplay during his 11 most recent ODIs.
Ponting argued the release point of Australia’s fast bowlers was partly to blame for the lack of Powerplay wickets, claiming they too often relied on wobble-seam deliveries.
“It’s one thing I’ve been a little bit disappointed with,” Ponting said.
“You look at the release of the Australian quicks, compared to the releases of the Indian quicks. (Mohammed) Siraj, (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Shami hit the seam, bowl upright, down the wicket, getting some shape and seam.
“The Australians haven’t been able to swing the new ball hardly at all right the way through this series, and for mine it’s all down to that release point.”
Ponting called for all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who has proven capable of swinging the new pill, to open the bowling for Australia in the ODI format.
“I’m a big believer in utilising the skills of everyone in your side,” Ponting said.
“Stoinis has got the skill to move the new ball, we saw him opening the bowling in South Africa … he’s also not going to be costly.
“I just think they probably missed an opportunity in the last couple of games to actually have an experiment, have a look at that.”
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