Watson hits record 15 sixes
Aussies win three-match series:
Shane Watson smashed a record 15 sixes in a career-best 185 not out
as Australia clinched a three-match series against Bangladesh with a
nine-wicket win in the second one-dayer on Monday.
The explosive opener gave a superb display of power-hitting as he
also cracked 15 fours in his 96-ball knock to help Australia achieve a
230-run target with 24 overs to spare for an unbeatable 2-0 lead.
West Indies’ Xavier Marshall was the previous record-holder with 12
sixes against Canada in 2008.
Watson’s knock was also the highest by an Australian in one-day
internationals, the previous best being 181 not out by Matthew Hayden.
He completed his sixth one-day hundred off just 69 balls, the
third-fastest by an Australia after Hayden (66 balls) and Gilchrist (67
balls).
The final one-dayer will be played in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Watson looked in excellent touch from the beginning, hammering three
fours in the opening over bowled by Shafiul Islam. He raced to his
half-century off just 26 balls with the help of four sixes and five
boundaries.
He then reduced Bangladesh’s bowlers and fielders to a state of
helplessness with his onslaught, once hitting four sixes in an over from
left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Watson dominated an unfinished 170-run stand for the second wicket
with former captain Ricky Ponting, who contributed an unbeaten 37.
Bangladesh were earlier struggling at 88-5 before crossing the 200
mark, thanks to wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 81 off
80 balls which contained one six and nine fours.
AFP
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