Wisden
First One-Day International

Bangladesh v Australia, 2005-06

Nabila Ahmed

At Chittagong Divisional Stadium, Chittagong, April 23, 2006. Australia won by four wickets. Toss: Bangladesh. One-day international debut: D. J. Cullen.

Gilchrist dismantled hapless opponents silly enough to feed him leg-side full tosses and drop him on 39, hitting five sixes in a marauding 76 from 46 balls. Australia were almost halfway to a meagre target of 196 when he fell in the 11th over, but failed to make their win emphatic, taking three times as long to score the rest, with a determined middle-order struggle. Gilchrist had started the day with five dismissals. On a smooth, hard, shiny pitch like a dance floor that should have been the perfect stage for their talents, Bangladesh's batsmen were as cavalier as wannabe heart-throbs at an underage nightclub. They went down recklessly swinging, scooping and swiping. Off-spinner Dan Cullen bowled with impressive control and versatility without claiming a wicket on his one-day debut.

Man of the Match: A. C. Gilchrist.

© John Wisden & Co.