Michael Clarke made his mark on the captaincy with a century in his first innings as full-time leader, to guide Australia to a strong total of 270 for 7 after being sent in by Bangladesh.
Clarke's sixth one-day international hundred has left Bangladesh needing their third-highest ODI chase of all time to pull off a series-opening victory - and the two higher pursuits came against Zimbabwe and a second-string West Indies outfit.The Australians finished well after scoring slowly through the middle overs, and 31 came from the final two overs, including a six pulled over midwicket by Clarke from the third-last delivery to bring him his century. He skied a catch next ball, but his 101 had rescued Australia after they lost three early wickets and were in danger of underperforming on a good batting pitch.
Clarke and Michael Hussey found it difficult to score quickly during the middle overs as the lack of pace in the surface proved an obstacle, but they still managed to build an important 84-run stand. They came together after the out-of-form Cameron White fell for a laboured 20 that took him 50 deliveries, and at one point Clarke and Hussey went 65 balls without striking a boundary.
The left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo broke the partnership when Hussey (33) tried to clear the boundary but was taken at long-off. Steven Smith followed soon afterwards for 1, bowled trying an ugly heave over midwicket off Shuvo, who finished with 3 for 44, and the Australians were left to rely heavily on Clarke.
The new captain was the senior partner in a 48-run stand with White, who never looked at ease and continued a form slump that stretches back almost to the start of the Australian summer. White was dropped by Mahmudullah on 18 when he pulled to midwicket and two runs later, rolled his eyes in disgust at his own stroke as soon as his lofted drive left the bat to be caught at wide mid-on off Shuvo.
It was a tremendous take by Imrul Kayes, who had to make a lot of ground to his right and clasped the ball while diving to his right. The Bangladeshis were generally sharp in the field and backed up their bowlers, including the captain Shakib Al Hasan, who didn't take a wicket but helped build the pressure with 0 for 34 coming off his ten overs.
Another excellent piece of fielding had already accounted for Ricky Ponting, who swept Shuvo and saw the ball saved on the fine-leg boundary by a diving Shafiul Islam. His throw to the wicketkeeper was relayed to the bowler's end where Ponting, who had hesitated before taking off for the third run, was caught short for 34.
It was a disappointing end to a very promising innings, Ponting's first in an ODI under another captain in nine years. He collected three consecutive boundaries off Mashrafe Mortaza, who was in his first match back having missed the World Cup due to a knee injury; the first a brilliant cut, the second a sweetly-timed straight drive and the third a punch through point.
Ponting and Shane Watson had looked ominous during a 65-run third-wicket stand that ended with the run-out, and soon afterwards Watson was lbw for 37, trapped by an Abdur Razzak delivery that skidded on and struck him in front. Watson's opening partner, Brad Haddin, won't want to see any replays of his dismissal.
Haddin wandered aimlessly down the pitch and wafted well away from his body, playing the wrong line to a Mortaza ball that rattled his stumps. For a batsman capable of beautiful play, it was a horrid shot. At least his captain led a good recovery, and Bangladesh will need one of their strongest batting efforts in recent times to begin the series with a win.
