The opening pair consigned the Tigers bowling to all corners of the ground as they overtook Bangladesh's total off 105 to reach 106 off only 13.5 overs without the loss of a wicket to complete a comprehensive ten wicket victory in their rain reduced 22-over encounter.

Gilchrist scored a sparkling 59 off 44 balls with the help of eight fours and one six while Hayden chipped in with an equally attractive 47 off 39 balls with three fours and three sixes -- the last of which bought an end to the match.

The Bangladeshi bowlers failed to make any sort of headway against an inform Australian batting which sent them on a leather chase for most of the second innings.

Earlier, Glenn McGrath became the highest wicket taker in World Cup history when he had Aftab Ahmed neatly caught at mid-off by Nathan Bracken in his third over to capture his 56th wicket.

The Australian overtook Pakistan legend Wasim Akram's 55 scalps.

McGrath finished with 3/16 off his five overs in a magnificent display of controlled fast bowling, which also helped him snare Shahriar Nafees and Mohammed Ashraful.

After winning the toss, Australia put Bangladesh into bat expecting the pitch to be conducive to swing bowling.

And Ricky Ponting's decision was vindicated as early as the third over as Bracken fooled Tamim Iqbal with a wide off-cutter that the explosive opener could only chase wildly to the waiting hands of Brad Hogg at mid-on.

Aftab Ahmed came in and started brilliantly with a confident push down the ground for three.

But before the tide could turn, McGrath was right on the money again to peg the Tigers back as he cleaned up Tigers vice-captain Nafees, the opener again falling cheaply, with a glorious yorker to equal Pakistan legend Wasim Akram's record of 55 World Cup wickets.

Sakib Al Hasan and Aftab then combined to hit Shaun Tait for fifteen off his first over; the left handed Sakib putting the icing on the cake with a slash for six over backward point after Aftab had hit out with a boundary and three on the leg side.

But that all unravelled soon after and Aftab became McGrath's record breaking wicket as he perished going for one big hit too many.

Mohammed Ashraful yet again flattered to deceive, falling cheaply to the inimitable McGrath.

Sakib and Bashar associated 28 runs for the fifth wicket before Sakib fell to usher in Mashrafe to the crease.

The all-rounder was the beacon of the late charge as he made a quick-fire 25 off 17 balls with two fours and one six to help push the Tigers over the three figure mark.

The rain-affected encounter finally began after numerous delays at 2:30 pm local time (12:30 am BST) with the match reduced to a 22-over a side affair, with 9 overs to Powerplays.

Australia retained their squad from the last game but Bangladesh made one late change -- Tapash Baisya, the veteran right-arm medium-pacer, coming in for Syed Rasel.