The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Darwin

Allrounders James Hopes and Shane Watson combined for five wickets as Australia overcame a lackluster batting performance to beat Bangladesh by 73 runs Saturday and sweep their three-match limited-overs series.

Australia posted 198-5 from its 50 overs and looked set for defeat when Bangladesh reached 82-3 in reply, but recovered to bowl out the tourists for 125.

Hopes put Australia back into the match with a career-best 3-30 and Watson had 2-8 from five overs.

The match was the closest of the series following Australia's 180-run win last weekend and its eight-wicket victory Wednesday.

Teenage opener Tamim Iqbal's impressive innings of 63 put Bangladesh in a position to repeat the upset victory over the world champions they achieved in 2005 in Cardiff.

But once Shakib Al Hasan fell for 27 in the 17th over, Bangladesh's pursuit ran out of spark as Tamim gradually ran out of partners. The 19-year-old was eventually the eighth man out, slicing in the air to third man after an innings containing five fours and a straight six.

Bangladesh lost its last six wickets for 43 runs - Shahadat Hossain did not bat because of an injured hand.

While Australia did well in the field, Bangladesh struggled with the bat, laboring against some tight bowling and having three batsmen run out.

For Australia, Mike Hussey top-scored with 57 not out, while opener Shaun Marsh made 30.

With the scoring rate slow throughout the innings, Watson, acting captain Michael Clarke and David Hussey were all out to questionable running over a 12-over span trying to up the run-rate.

Watson (27) was caught short when called through for a quick single by his captain. Two overs later Clarke (25) was out after a moment's hesitation with Mike Hussey, and beaten by Alok Kapali's direct hit.

David Hussey (11) also was run out after he drove straight to Mohammad Ashraful and was two meters short when the Bangladesh skipper hit the stumps.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak (1-22 from 10 overs) bowled well and had Haddin caught at cover for 16, while spin partner Shakib Al Hasan (0-25 from 10) also bowled impressively.

Marsh, with previous scores of 76 and 69 not out, and Mike Hussey, who made 85 and eight not out in the first two games, were the standouts for Australia's batting in the series.

Bangladesh coach and former Australia player Jamie Siddons said skipper Ashraful needs to pick up his game.

The 24-year-old Ashraful has averaged just over 22 runs in his 128 matches and has made only six scores over 50 in the past two years. He was also dismissed in single figures in each of his three innings in Australia.

"He's been given a lot of positions in the order and he's still failing," Siddons said. "It's disappointing for him, being the leader of the team. If it were anyone else he wouldn't be in the side. He needs to start making runs. He knows that."

Siddons said a slow pitch, humid conditions and good bowling gave Bangladesh its best chance to win - until the batsmen became impatient.

"It was just a procession of poor shots and missing straight balls from Hopesy," he said. "Hard to explain why you'd miss a straight ball on a flat wicket."