The Aussies rode on Michael Hussey’s unbeaten 47 and Dirk Nannes’ four-wicket haul to drew curtains on their group campaign on unbeaten note after having defeated title holders Pakistan by 34 runs in their opening match.

Australia now join Pakistan from Group A in the Super Eight stage and will take on India in their opening second round encounter on Friday.

Michael Hussey played a sweet little cameo and shared crucial 74 runs with Steven Smith (27 off 18) for the seventh wicket to lift Australia to 141 for seven before Nannes (4/18) produced a breathtaking pace bowling display to

Nannes was ably supported by David Hussey (2/8) and Smith (2/29) at the middle.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan top-scored for Bangladesh with a run-a-ball 28 while wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim (24 off 25) gave him the perfect support from the other end during their 48-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Bangladesh made a mockery of their run chase as they lost four of their top-order batsmen inside the first four overs.

Needing a outright win inside 19 overs to book their place in the Super Eight stage, the Bangladesh’s did not help their cause in any way and played insensible shots against some fine pace bowling to totter at 16 for four.

Shain Tait (1/15)) and Nannes tested the Bangladeshi batters from the onset with their fiery and high quality fast bowling.

Nannes, in particular, was the fiercesome of the duo as he picked up Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed and Mahmudullah during his three-over opening spell before returning back to account for the wicket Jahurul Islam (18).

Inspite of the early jitters, Shakib and Mushfiqur put up a brave fight during their the fifth wicket to keep Bangladesh in the hunt.

Shakib’s innings was finally cut short by a blinder of a catch at deep from Michael Hussey off Smith.

Jahurul and Shafiul Islam (16 off 13) tried their level best to dig something out of the game but it was not to be Bangladesh’s day as Australia dished out a fantastic performance on the field to eventually romp home with eight balls to spare.

Earlier opting to bat, the Aussies initially struggled as they lost six wickets for mere 65 runs before Hussey and Smith saved the day with the 42-ball vital partnership.

After the initial hiccup, the Aussies added 59 runs in the last five overs, courtesy some fine hitting from Hussey and Smith.

Australia did not have the ideal start to their innings as Shane Watson (4) feel early with Mashrafe Mortaza (2/28) striking in his second and innings’ third over.

Watson mistimed a pull of Mortaza’s well-directed bouncer that landed in the hands of Ahmed.

Captain Shakib (2/24) then ensured double celebrations for Bangladesh in the next over, picking up dangerman David Warner (16 off 11), caught by Ahmed.

And then few overs later, a reckless shot from Brad Haddin ensured further trouble for Australia. He was easily caught by Shafiul off left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak (1/29) as he went for a lofted sweep over square leg.

As if that was not enough, skipper Michael Clarke (16) was the next to depart, caught at long-off boundary by Jahurul off Ashraful (1/24) to see Australia stutter at 54 for four at the halfway mark.

It could have been more trouble the Aussies had Jahurul not dropped a David Hussey sitter off Ashraful’s next ball.

But Mortaza ensured that Bangladesh did not have to pay heavily for the dropped chance, picking up David Hussey in the next over to mark the departure of half of the Aussie side.

Another well-directed bouncer from Mortaza hurried David Hussey into the pull, but the batsman could not control the shot and ballooned it to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur.

Cameron White too failed to make any impact as Shakib outsmarted him with a lovely leg-spinner that turned away crashed onto his timbers.

With chips down, Michael Hussey and Smith first played sensibly with ones and twos before opening up in the final five overs to take Australia to the fighting total.

Michael Hussey took the onus on him to guide the Australia innings and picked up the tempo with a 17-run over off Mortaza. He hit as many as four fours and six during his 29-bal unbeaten stay.

Smith too was not far behind as he used his long handle to great affect in the dying stages to register two sixes and a boundary against his name.

In pace bowler Dirk Nannes, who plays at Lord’s for Middlesex, the Dutch have a left-arm quick who can swing the ball late.

Australia-born Nannes didn’t hit top form during the Netherlands’ recent warm-up games against Ireland and Scotland but if the seamer, who also plays for Indian Premier League side Team Delhi, is at his best then England will need to watch out.

“Twenty20 is a funny game, all it takes is for a couple of us to fire and we will be challenging the big boys,” said Nannes.

All-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate is another key figure for the Dutch and this match could see him in action against at least two of his Essex team-mates in opening batsman Ravi Bopara and wicket-keeper James Foster, with the big-hitting Graham Napier also in England’s squad.

“It will be nice to actually test myself against them as I play a lot with them,” ten Doeschate said. Asked which side was the favourites for Friday’s game, he replied: “The Netherlands, definitely. “No it’s hard to quantify. We are out for a one-off, special performance by two or three guys. Obviously, England are hot favourites.”

But Netherlands captain and wicketkeeper Jeroen Smits is convinced his side can start the tournament proper with an almighty bang. “I’m sure we can spring a surprise,” he said. “We have a quality 20-over team. They have some quality players but we can compete.”

The 33-year-old left-armer had harboured outside hopes of making the Australian team, but once that door was closed, he was more than happy to join the Dutch squad.

Nannes has played for Middlesex in English county cricket as well as Victoria in Australia and qualifies for the Netherlands courtesy of his Dutch-born parents who settled down under.

His first priority is to try and help his team negotiate a way out of Group B which features hosts England and 2007 runners-up Pakistan.

That would likely set-up a chance against Ricky Ponting’s Australians in the Super Eights.

“I’m not really that fussed that (Australia) are not picking me,” Nannes told a website.

“Of course I would like to play for them, but I’ve been given a really good opportunity by the Dutch team. If I play for Holland, I will probably make the starting XI.

“If I was picked in the 30-man squad for Australia, the chances are I wouldn’t play and they’ll play other people.

“Obviously I would like to play and I do think I would be one of the better players in their team, but they chose not to pick me. I’m still going to go to the World Cup and I’m still going to play.”

Nannes enjoys the big stage. At the IPL in South Africa, he nudged aside Glenn McGrath in the Delhi Dardevils line-up and claimed six wickets early on at a cost of just 6.48 runs an over.

In Australian Twenty20, he helped the Bushrangers win the 2008 title with figures of 4-23 to help beat Western Australia in the final.

A colourful cricketer off the field, Nannes plays the saxophone and even speaks Japanese.