Australia ease to series win

Shaun Marsh pulls en route to 69 not out as gloveman Dhiman Ghosh looks on

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Shaun Marsh's unbeaten 69 and 3-17 from Mitchell Johnson saw Australia outclass woeful Bangladesh and clinch the three-match series in the second one-day international at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin.

Having dismissed the tourists for just 117, Marsh proved the cornerstone of an eight-wicket victory and was quickly into his stride, whipping Shahadat Hossain through square leg for four.

The win follows the hosts’ 180-run demolition of Bangladesh at the same venue last Saturday. The final game is also in Darwin this Saturday.

Marsh caressed a boundary through midwicket before pulling Abdur Razzak fine to the ropes and opening partner Shane Watson then powered Mashrafe Mortaza through covers for more of the same as Australia reached an untroubled 46 without loss at at the interval.

Marsh hooked Hossain for four to bring up the 50 soon after the break and Watson cut the same bowler to the boundary. Marsh then smacked Shakib Al Hasan's unthreatening spin over mid-off and Hossain over mid-on as Australia continued to rattle along.

However, Watson succumbed lbw to Al Hassan, slogging across the line having made 29 off 33 balls as Australia lost their first wicket for 73.

It did not seem to affect Marsh as the left-hander again despatched Hossain for four before Australia lost a second wicket when skipper Michael Clarke was stumped for one after coming down the pitch in an attempt to dominate Al Hassan.

Marsh was then put down when he pushed at a delivery Mortaza angled away from the left-hander outside off stump but Kapali spilled the chance at slip. He subsequently brought up his half century with a single off the same bowler.

The 25-year-old finished the game with a flourish, smashing Al Hassan down the ground for six and cutting the slow left-armer for four as Australia reached their target in just 22.4 overs.

Earlier, Johnson had proved the pick of the attack as Bangladesh followed up their lowest-ever limited overs score of 74 on Saturday with another sorry effort.

The tourists won the toss and decided to bat but Australia made the best possible start as Nathan Bracken struck with the first ball of the match when he produced a cracking delivery that undid Tamiam Iqbal.

Mitchell Johnson steams in on his way to figures of 3-17

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The left-hander got the ball to move away from the opener in the air before it pitched around middle stump and Iqbal could only edge to David Hussey at second slip, although his cause was not helped by some static footwork.

Bracken picked up his second wicket at the start of the fourth over when Mehrab Hossain Jnr (one) pushed at another away swinger outside off stump and Michael Hussey snapped up a diving catch at third slip to leave Bangladesh 11 for two.

That soon became 15 for three when Stuart Clark claimed the key wicket of Mohammad Ashraful. A wide delivery saw the batsman throw everything into an expansive drive but he could only edge it to Cameron White at first slip to depart for three.

Johnson put an end to a budding partnership between Junaid Siddique (21) and Al Hassan when he found some extra bounce off a good length to entice the former into a thin edge just outside off stump that wicketkeeper Brad Haddin snared to make it 53 for four.

Johnson knocked over Bangladesh's fifth wicket on 57 when he dismissed Al Hassan lbw for 19 with a delivery that may have just missed leg stump.

James Hopes then benefited from Alok Kopali's soft dismissal when the latter presented Watson with a simple catch at mid-off. White accounted for Razzak with a delivery that ran straight on and the left-hander edged a simple chance to Clarke at slip to leave the tourists reeling on 85 for seven.

Dhiman Ghosh injected some excitement into proceedings when he swept White for Bangladesh's first six of the series before a similar shot for four brought up his side's 100.

The wicketkeeper, who top-scored with 30, tried to belt the returning Clark out of the ground but instead hit the ball straight up into the air and Watson pouched the catch at mid-off.

White picked up his second wicket when Nazmul Hossain failed to read the leg-spinner's googly before Johnson then wrapped up the innings on 117 as Mortaza (seven) edged behind to Haddin when backing away.