Litchfield's 77 and Schutt's 150th ODI wicket crush Bangladesh as Australia win by seven wickets
Australia make short work of modest chase
Australia needed just 25.4 overs to knock off Bangladesh's 166 all out, sealing a seven-wicket victory in the opening game of the three-match ODI series in Brisbane under lights. It was Bangladesh Women's first ODI on Australian soil, and it ended in a chastening defeat.
Phoebe Litchfield produced a masterclass, racing to her 12th ODI half-century with an unbeaten-in-spirit 77 from just 57 deliveries. The left-hander mixed ramps, glides, clips, drives, lofted pitching wedges and thunderous wallops in an opening knock that once again underlined her rarity in world cricket.
Litchfield made smart use of the gaps on the off-side and used her feet to counter early movement. Seventeen-year-old debutant Habiba Islam briefly broke the flow by trapping Georgia Voll with a bouncer, but Litchfield was undeterred, drilling a hat-trick of fours off Marufa before depositing a short ball over deep mid-wicket. At the 10-over mark, Australia had cruised to 74 for 1.
Ellyse Perry, now into her 20th year in international cricket, was content to nudge along as Litchfield did the bulk of the scoring, bringing out the sweeps to counter the turn. Rabeya Khan eventually accounted for Litchfield, but by then the hosts were well on course. Bangladesh managed a consolation moment when Fargana Hoque took a fine diving catch to remove Beth Mooney, handing Habiba a second wicket to savour on debut. Perry and Sutherland then polished off the remaining runs with ease.
Sutherland takes player of the match honours
Allrounder Annabel Sutherland, named player of the match, finished the chase unbeaten on 26 after earlier ripping through Bangladesh with 4-30.
"It is a while since we have been out there in the yellow so it was nice to start like that," Sutherland said. "It was nice to use the wicket and I felt like it was holding a bit. It was pretty good to watch [Litchfield], just the way she can score all around the ground and the exquisite way she plays spin is something everyone in the group looks at."
Schutt joins elite 150-wicket club
Stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath invited Bangladesh to bat first, and Megan Schutt struck with the very first ball of the innings — a vicious lifter that had opener Fargana Hoque edging to slip. A Schutt inswinger then trapped Sarmin Sultana lbw for four, a dismissal that took the pace bowler to her 150th ODI wicket.
Only legendary speedster Cathryn Fitzpatrick (180) and current allrounder Ellyse Perry (166) have more ODI wickets for Australia. Schutt finished with 2-19 from her 10 overs, including two maidens in an opening spell of five overs that conceded just six runs. She now has 20 ODI wickets at Allan Border Field, a venue she has relished throughout her career.
There was a time this year when Schutt was initially left out of the ODI side for February's series against India, before a quad injury to Kim Garth opened the door to a recall. She took 5-19 at AB Field on that occasion to serve a timely reminder of her talents.
Bangladesh's batters dig in but never kick on
Sharmin Akhter kept one end going with a classy and breezy 24 before Sutherland removed her in her first over, Alana King taking a brilliant catch at short square leg. From there Bangladesh went into their shell: between overs 15 and 30 they added only 40 runs, losing just one wicket but allowing the required rate to be dragged well below par.
Shorna Akhter dug in alongside captain Nigar Sultana, who made a brave but stodgy 29 from 86 balls before being sucked into a tame drive off McGrath. Georgia Wareham soon ended Shorna's long, toilsome knock, targeting the stumps well even as she extracted less turn than King. Spinners Ashleigh Gardner, Wareham and King all bowled with class.
Ritu Moni showcased her experience and nous with 45 from 63 balls, the best of a mediocre bunch, but she ran out of partners. Bangladesh sat at 130 for 7 after 40 overs and could not find a big over, having to settle for the odd boundary before being dismissed with the fourth ball of the final over.
McGrath, usually a vice-captain, has been elevated to lead in the absence of injured regular skipper Sophie Molineux and rotated her bowlers with panache. Friday's clash was the first match of the summer on home soil for Australia's victorious T20 World Cup side since lifting the trophy in July, and the first of three ODIs at the same venue. Australia remain unbeaten in 22 ODIs at Allan Border Field.
Brief scores: Bangladesh Women 166 in 49.4 overs (Ritu Moni 45, Nigar Sultana 29; Annabel Sutherland 4-30, Megan Schutt 2-19) lost to Australia Women 168/3 in 25.4 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 77, Ellyse Perry 26*; Habiba Islam 2-36, Rabeya Khan 1-32) by seven wickets.