Super Cooper’s arrival was not without a scare.
A maiden one-day international century from Cooper Connolly guided Australia to a nail-biting victory over Bangladesh at Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Chasing Bangladesh’s 5-274, Australia narrowly avoided a catastrophic capitulation and series whitewash around Connolly’s 149 from 134 balls.
Connolly took the Aussies within nine runs of the target with a hat-trick of sixes in the 45th over before the Tigers captured 4-5 to force the game into the final over.
The sharp southpaw built his innings on offside flamboyance and brought up his breakthrough ton with a composed straight drive.
Connolly reached the triple-figure milestone – his first at international, List A and first-class level – off just 87 deliveries.
The brutal Dhaka conditions left Connolly struggling with cramp and fatigue, but he refused to give his wicket away cheaply.
Connolly was supported in short by Marnus Labuschagne (29), Cameron Green (27) and fellow young gun Ollie Peake (27).
Peake started the collapse with a loose shot but he was joined in the pavilion by Xavier Bartlett only a ball later.
Connolly was then dismissed with four runs to win, unluckily dragging a big drive onto his stumps.
Shoriful Islam led the Tigers’ resurgence, claiming 6-48 and having a chance off Adam Zampa dropped at gully off his penultimate delivery in the 48th over.
Zampa eventually used his wealth of experience to ice the game, slamming a drive to the cover boundary with two runs needed to win.
The successful chase came after Bangladesh, as it has done for much of the series, found a crucial partnership with the bat.
Bartlett (2-47) claimed a wicket inside the first over and Matt Renshaw (2-44) – after being introduced in the 10th over – took two quick wickets.
But Litton Das (58 not out) and Tawhid Hridoy (83) then combined for 92 runs before Das retired hurt with debilitating cramp.
The new batter to the crease, Musaddek Hossain, offered no relief for the Aussies, continuing his career revival with another half-century (56 not out).
Bangladesh built another case for victory, but Australia this time had an answer in the blend of an emerging talent and a proven star.
