Australia escaped a first-ever ODI whitewash in Bangladesh, sneaking past the hosts’ 274 for 5 with three balls to spare thanks to Cooper Connolly’s remarkable 149 – his first international hundred and already one of the more memorable knocks by an Australian in the format.
The 20-year-old left-hander, battling crippling cramps in 38-degree heat at Mirpur, struck 13 fours and six sixes from 133 balls. At 266 for 5 the chase looked routine; moments later it was anything but, as Shoriful Islam’s second spell ripped out 4 for 5 and left Nos. 10 and 11 together. Adam Zampa edged Australia over the line, threading Taskin Ahmed through cover for the winning boundary.
“Tough towards the end,” Connolly admitted, still rubbing his calves. “I felt like my body was all in shock and not wanting to move. But it was nice to play a role in a win for Australia.” The cramp came on around the 90-run mark, the physio dashing out more than once with electrolyte tablets. Connolly simply kept swinging.
Bangladesh’s total had been built around Najmul Hossain Shanto’s fluent 92 and a late flurry from Mahmudullah. On a slowish surface 274 looked competitive, and so it proved. Shoriful (6 for 48) used the old ball cleverly, cutters gripping and occasionally leaping. A seventh wicket was there for the taking when Tanzid Hasan spilled Zampa at slip, a moment that changed the mood inside Sher-e-Bangla.
While Connolly hogged the limelight, Australia’s next best score was Marnus Labuschagne’s 29 – a sign of how scratchy the tourists have been all trip. Stand-in skipper Josh Inglis helped set the tempo, punching 26 in a 72-run opening stand that lasted barely nine overs. “Looking into it, ODI cricket is quite similar to how I play my red-ball cricket,” Connolly said. “I like to be aggressive and I like to score.”
The collapse left him furious with himself. “I was obviously a little disappointed in myself because I’d done all the hard work to get to that position,” he said after chopping Mustafizur Rahman on with four still needed. “I think there’s always faith in whoever’s out there – whether it’s No.10 and 11 – I’m always willing to back them in.”
From Bangladesh’s perspective, the match was both encouraging and frustrating: another stride forward for Shoriful, yet another game where the finishing line proved elusive. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha praised his attack’s discipline but lamented the dropped catch: “In tight games it’s usually one moment.”
Away from the result, Australia tweaked their T20I plans. All-rounder Cameron Green, the only multi-format regular who stayed on after the IPL, has been sent home for a breather before August’s home Tests against Bangladesh. No replacement has been named; uncapped leg-spinning all-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary is already with the squad and may debut in Wednesday’s first T20I in Chattogram.
Connolly, meanwhile, is trying to downplay talk of fast-tracking him into the Test side. “That’s the whole point of batting in the powerplay – you want to be aggressive and put guys under pressure,” he said, smiling when asked if he fancied doing the same with the red ball later in the year.
For now, that one towering innings, played under searing sun and amid cramping limbs, is more than enough to keep him – and Australia – smiling.
