Daniel Brettig reviews Australia’s big win
Australia, India and England, cricket’s financial “big three”, each flexed their on-field muscle with a trio of thrashings to set the pace in the Super Eights phase of the Twenty20 World Cup.After England crushed West Indies and India did likewise to Afghanistan, it was Australia’s turn in Antigua to do a job on Bangladesh - David Warner, Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell dominated a rain-reduced chase for a vast win, officially by 28 runs on DLS calculations.The victory and its margin should mean the Australians only need to win one of their two remaining games against Afghanistan (Sunday) and India (Monday night) to qualify for the semi-finals.Despite a pair of coaches well versed in the ways of Mitchell Marsh’s team in former New South Wales mentors Chandika Hathurasinghe and Andre Adams, Bangladesh still looked too timid at key moments to present a genuine challenge for Australia.Though Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Pat Cummins all delivered exemplary spells after Marsh chose to bowl first, the Bangladesh innings was characterised by a lack of aggressive intent, as far too many dot balls accrued in a format where bowlers must be put under pressure.