Australia’s Shane Watson (right) en route to his 52 at Trent Bridge on Monday. (AP)

London: Australia sailed to a 38-run victory over Bangladesh in Nottingham while Ireland beat the Netherlands by four runs via the Super Over in the first set of warm-up matches for World Twenty20 on Monday.

According to Cricinfo, Australia rode a 100-run opening stand by Shane Watson (52) and Brad Haddin (47) to reach 219 for six. Bangladesh, in reply, made 181 for seven.

From the start it was apparent that Australia were going to dominate against a hapless Bangladesh attack. To make matters worse, Tamim Iqbal dropped Haddin in the first over. Watson — who slammed a 21-ball half-century — made Bangladesh pay and though Mohammed Mahmuddulah’s four wickets ensured Australia didn’t reach 250, the favourites clearly had enough runs. Bangladesh’s top-order chased hard, but Shakib Al Hasan’s dismissal for a sprightly 54 in the 14th over ended their slim chances.

Australia’s openers effectively nailed the match in the first eight overs. When the ball was new, both Haddin and Watson boldly chose to go over the top, twice lofting Syed Rasel for sixes in an over. Then, when the field spread out, the pair chipped and nudged it cleverly into the gaps to keep the board ticking constantly. They also managed to find the fence whenever the bowlers dropped it short and wide.

The fourth over went for 16, with Haddin and Watson each slamming sixes, and the fifth cost 22. By this time Watson and Haddin both were using their feet and wrists excellently. Watson dumped off-spinner Naeem Islam for four and six in consecutive deliveries as Australia reached 86 in seven overs. Watson raised his half-century with another swipe over mid-wicket.

Mahmudullah struck in a double-wicket over during which both openers picked out fielders in the deep. Andrew Symonds hit three sixes over mid-wicket, but after racing to 27 from 14 balls, he fell to Mahmudullah in the 13th over.

Three deliveries later Mahmudullah ended Ricky Ponting’s scratchy innings and Australia had a new pair at the crease again. Where his teammates had all suffered, Mahmudullah returned figures of 4 for 37.

Bangladesh showed urgency in their chase, taking 31 from the first two overs. In the first over, Tamim hit Nathan Bracken for 18, using his feet to launch a beautiful straight six. In the second over, Junaid Siddique took Brett Lee for three boundaries, the most audacious being a swat over extra cover with Siddique a third down the track.

Mitchell Johnson sent Siddique’s leg stump cart-wheeling with a quick and straight delivery and Lee had his man when Tamim drove straight to mid-off in the fourth over. Then came an engrossing period where both sides battled for leverage.

Following Ashraful’s dismissal for 26, Shakib-al Hasan clubbed Symonds’s first two deliveries for six, survived a stumping, and promptly creamed a four through extra cover. His half-century needed just 25 deliveries.

But once he left, it was curtains for Bangladesh.

At Lord’s, Ireland succeeded despite Dirk Nannes’ best efforts. Ireland were tied with The Netherlands at 135 after 20 overs, and the match was finally decided in the Super Over.

Nannes was hostile in all his spells: his first three overs were extremely economical and did not allow Ireland to accelerate during the Powerplay, his last over broke Ireland’s momentum as they pushed towards the target, and his bowling during the one-over eliminator was magnificent.

Nannes’s pace and bounce was too hot for Ireland’s batsmen and he conceded only three runs off the bat in the one-over eliminator, while Ireland managed three more through extras.

The Netherlands needed only seven in the eliminator to win the game, and then five from five balls, but Trent Johnston held his nerve. Concentrating on keeping the ball full, he had Bas Zuiderent stumped off the third ball and ran out William Porterfield off the next to end the Netherlands innings.

The match went down to a one-over eliminator after Ireland fell one run short of the target of 136. They needed nine off the final over, bowled by Pieter Seelar, and then needed two off the last two balls but could manage only one.

SUMMARISED SCORES

At Trent Bridge: Australia 219/6 in 20 (Shane Watson 52, Brad Haddin 47, Md Mahmuddulah 4/37). Bangladesh 181/7 in 20 (Shakib-al Hasan 54, Mitchell Johnson 3/21). Australia won by 38 runs.

At Lord’s: Ireland 135/7 in 20 (A. Botha 35, Pieter Seelar 3/28) tied with The Netherlands 135/9 in 20 (Ten Doeschate 29, McCallan 3/32). Ireland won by 4 runs via the Super Over.