Australia score scratchy win

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April 23, 2006 17:47 IST

- Scorecard

Australia survived a late scare to beat Bangladesh by four wickets in the first one-day international in Chittagong on Sunday, to take a 1-0 lead in a three-match series. The visitors stumbled to 196 for six after bowling out Bangladesh for 195 runs in the morning.

After Adam Gilchrist' gave them a roaring start with a 46-ball 76, Australia lost four wickets in quick succession to give Bangladesh a glimer of hope.

Mike Hussey (36) and Brett Lee (12) then saw them home in 44 overs.

Brad Hogg returned the best figures, taking three wickets for 37 runs while Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken and Andrew Symonds claimed two victims apiece as the home side struggled to set a competitive total in the opener of the three-match series.

Mitchell Johnson was the other successful bowler for the visitors, the paceman claiming his first one-day international wicket in his third match.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat and got off to a quick start by scoring 25 runs from the first three overs before opener Rajin Saleh (7) was caught by Lee at third-man off Bracken in the next over.

Leading the way for the home side was skipper Habibul Bashar (52), who scored his 11th one-day fifty, while Aftab Ahmed (30) and Khaled Mashud (27) were the only other batsman to trouble Australia in a disappointing overall batting performance. Bashar faced 93 balls, hitting one six and three boundaries while Aftab played 45 balls, hit one six and four boundaries.

The skipper's innings ended when Hogg drew him out of his crease and he was stumped by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

The spinner also had Tushar Imran (20) caught behind by Gilchrist and removed Masharafe Mortaza (1) in similar fashion for his three-wicket haul.

Lee got the important wicket of Aftab, caught at point by Michael Clarke, and the paceman also removed opener Shahriar Nafees (16).

Symonds and Bracken took the other three wickets for Australia, while the tourists awarded a first one-day international cap to off spinner Dan Cullen.

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