Day two report
A maiden Test century by Tanzid Hasan has given Bangladesh a 153-run lead against an Australian side that were forced to use eight bowlers in Darwin. In just his second Test match, the 25-year-old left-hander’s brilliant 101 put the Tigers in position to push for what would be their greatest win in long-form cricket.
There is still a long way to go, but Bangladesh went to stumps on day two at 351 for 6 after recovering from a mini-collapse of 3 for 11 when Australia took the second new ball.
A six-wicket haul on the first day for Hasan Mahmud, then a century for Tanzid Hasan. The emerging players of this side are taking the spotlight.
Where does that leave us? A deficit of up to 200 is surmountable on a pitch that is getting easier for batting, and a Bangladesh side nervous about the prospect of winning could be liable to collapse in the fourth innings, so don’t count any chickens yet.
But this is already a great chance for Bangladesh to push for a win against Australia, something that I’m confident that nobody thought likely on Australian home soil.
That’s it from us, we’ll be back tomorrow.
Bangladesh lead by 153 after Day 2
Another stunning day from Bangladesh. The first day could have been a flash in the pan, but the way their upper order batted from the morning, with discipline and control, was such a credit to those players. Test touring is tough at the best of times, and so much more so for players who have never had the chance to play in these conditions.
For a minute there, after losing five sessions in a row, it looked like Australia had won the sixth, but that burst of middle order wickets ended up being brief, and the 43-run partnership between the unbeaten pair brought things back their way.
110th over: Bangladesh 351-6 (Mehidy 32, Hasan 13) Last over of the day, Labuschagne still bumping bumping, and Mehidy hooks to fine leg but declines the single. Doesn’t want the less capable Hasan getting out before tomorrow. Reverse nightwatchman.
Now the last ball of the day… is dropped! Oh, my word. Outside off stump, Mehidy tries to cover it off, and it flies off the open blade to gully where Green is quite close. He’s low, hands low, the ball goes straight into them, and somehow then down into the ground!
What a miss.
109th over: Bangladesh 351-6 (Mehidy 32, Hasan 13) Lyon comes back. You’ll never guess how it goes. Mehidy, block block single. Hasan, block block block.
Niall Connolly writes in, about Australia’s tour of Bangladesh in 2017.
“I was a 5 year ‘southerner blow in’ in Darwin and remember watching this enthralling contest play out at the Hotel Darwin in 2017 - just edged by magnificent Bangladesh. I wonder can Australia turn this contest into something equally nail biting?”
They had a good one in Fatullah 2006 as well – Bangers led by 158 on the first dig before Australia snuck home.
108th over: Bangladesh 350-6 (Mehidy 31, Hasan 13) More Labuschagne, who bowls more bluff balls than bouncers to begin with. Mehidy nicks a fuller one past the keeper. They have a regulation slip and a fly slip almost directly behind him.
The 350 is up, and the lead to 152.
107th over: Bangladesh 349-6 (Mehidy 30, Hasan 13) The pattern holds! Each over, Mehidy faces a few, takes a single, Hasan absorbs the rest. Cummins hits him on the pad, but the ball is initially headed down leg before ricocheting the other way towards gully.
106th over: Bangladesh 348-6 (Mehidy 29, Hasan 13) Desperation stakes once more for Australia, Labuschagne back for more bouncers. Mehidy takes on one of them, fine leg for one. Will Hasan lose his focus and do something daft? These ploys can be hypnotic for certain batters. Not this time.
105th over: Bangladesh 347-6 (Mehidy 28, Hasan 13) Cummins is so often the one to break stands when there’s not much happening. He’s back here hoping for another instance. Lovely bowling straight up, good seam position, slightly scrambling but not more than a few degrees in either direction, and deviating off a good length. It’s a big test for Hasan, after Mehidy does take the early single. Hasan passes it, 63 balls faced now.
104th over: Bangladesh 346-6 (Mehidy 27, Hasan 13) Mehidy happy to take the single early in Webster’s over. Webster tries the short ball, Hasan tries the uppercut, and after a scratch on the toe of the bat, the ball lands just short of Carey behind the stumps.
103rd over: Bangladesh 345-6 (Mehidy 26, Hasan 13) Starc to continue, and Mehidy drives him for four! Lovely cover drive to the overpitched delivery. A single to deep point could follow, but this time Mehidy decides to keep strike himself. And a bit of argy-bargy, Starc is starting to lose his temper! Mehidy blocks him away through point and Hasan says yes, dashes a single, meaning that Mehidy is in a rush, and he goes straight down the middle of the pitch. Starc complains, Mehidy points to where Starc was standing at the edge of the strip and suggests, was I supposed to run five extra metres going around you? No, I went the direct route. “Get off the wicket,” snaps back Starc. Umpire involved. Interesting!
102nd over: Bangladesh 340-6 (Mehidy 21, Hasan 13) Cummins is tired of Hasan facing Lyon, so he gets Green on. No, wait, Webster, wrong skyscraper. There’s not much happening for him, plonking down an over that concedes a single, and there’s some very diffident body language as Webster wanders back to get his hat from the umpire. The partnership will reach 100 balls when the next over starts, and the lead is 142.
101st over: Bangladesh 339-6 (Mehidy 20, Hasan 13) Ricochet off Labuschagne at slip, third ball of the over, and Mehidy perhaps automatically runs the single. Not sure if he wanted to let Hasan face Starc. The No8 doesn’t look too flash trying to uppercut a short ball, but does pick up two runs off his pads.
100th over: Bangladesh 336-6 (Mehidy 19, Hasan 11) Another minor milestone, 100 overs batted, and less than 45 minutes to go in the day. Mehidy adds a couple of runs flicking Lyon through the leg side and another knocking him towards point. Hasan goes to deep point from the last ball of the over, but Mehidy decides not to take his partner’s single with Starc to bowl the next over.
99th over: Bangladesh 333-6 (Mehidy 16, Hasan 11) Starc comes back, big angle across Mehidy first ball. Bangladesh won’t mind the slow scoring, they’ll also see the value in forcing Australia to keep bowling. Another spell for the premier quick, another over in the field. At this rate they might even make it through 50 more minutes to stumps, which would give their bowlers another hour’s rest. Well, their best bowler from the first innings is out there batting, but it’s still probably easier than running in.
Starc is in the 130s in this over, hasn’t yet cranked the dial up. Mehidy is leaving wherever possible, defending when not. Gets the pressure-reliever on the hip and deflects it fine for a run.
98th over: Bangladesh 332-6 (Mehidy 15, Hasan 11) Lyon around the wicket now to this right-handed pair, looking to straighten one down the line. Does straighten several, but he meets a defensive blade six more times from Hasan, who has now faced 46 balls.
97th over: Bangladesh 332-6 (Mehidy 15, Hasan 11) Haven’t seen much from Green that has tested the batters, they both have a look this over and find a run eventually.
96th over: Bangladesh 330-6 (Mehidy 14, Hasan 10) Single first ball now, with Lyon the bowler, and Mehidy takes one down the ground. Hasan has held back for a long time now, and finally needs to have a go at one. Outside the off stump, and he lumps it over cover for four! Then is nearly bowled by one that creeps past his off stump.
Lyon still just the one wicket, 1 for 88 from 21, so he’s going at about four an over. Carey tries to change that by insisting on a DRS review, but it shows that the bat brushed the flap of the back pad just before the ball went past bat. Excellent decision by Dick Illingworth.
The Bangladesh lead is 132.
95th over: Bangladesh 325-6 (Mehidy 13, Hasan 6) Drinks break, then Mehidy manages his shepherding well, whether that’s his intention or not. Defends, ducks a bouncer from Green, and takes a single fifth ball of the over.
94th over: Bangladesh 324-6 (Mehidy 12, Hasan 6) The scoring has ground to a near halt. First gear. A single for Mehidy from Lyon, and Hasan blocks the rest. Bangers are 126 runs to the good.
Patrick O’Brien picks up the theme. “Gotta love Bangball. It’s gonna save Test Cricket!”
I’m not sure that will get past the nomenclature board, Pat, but we’ll see.
93rd over: Bangladesh 323-6 (Mehidy 11, Hasan 6) It feels about a million years ago that Cam Green last bowled, but the world’s largest kindergartner is finally back. No bouncer plan this time, he hits a length looks for movement with the still slightly new ball. Hasan plays out the over without scoring, and that’s 27 balls faced now for him, doing a job.
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92nd over: Bangladesh 323-6 (Mehidy 11, Hasan 6) Lyon is back, with the express purpose, I would suggest, of making Hasan Mahmud have a swing. He doesn’t though, plays forward responsibly until the fourth ball, when Mehidy calls him through for a sharp run off the outside half. With two balls to come in the over, Mehidy can’t do much.
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91st over: Bangladesh 322-6 (Mehidy 11, Hasan 5) All of Mehidy’s runs have been scored beyond the cordon, just about. Four more here, thrown bat, Hazlewood’s delivery flies up and over.
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90th over: Bangladesh 318-6 (Mehidy 7, Hasan 5) Ninety overs faced by Bangladesh, another milestone on their way. Hasan still not looking a very convincing No8, but he does the job of getting through the over. Bangladesh at 120 ahead have a very useful lead, but their middle order bats have blown the chance to turn it into a securely match-winning one.
89th over: Bangladesh 318-6 (Mehidy 7, Hasan 5) The senior batter is happy to take a single, after which Hasan plays a reasonable looking shot, nudging Hazlewood off the pads.
88th over: Bangladesh 316-6 (Mehidy 6, Hasan 4) The lower-order man does his first job, which is to survive a full over from Pat Cummins. Edges one, misses one, leaves a few. What can Mehidy do at the other end?
87th over: Bangladesh 316-6 (Mehidy 6, Hasan 4) Mehidy realises the need to chase some runs here, as the last proper bat in the conversation, and chases width from Starc to slash four through the cordon gap. Five dots to follow, Starc bowling the sixth ball very wide of off stump to keep him off strike.
86th over: Bangladesh 312-6 (Mehidy 2, Hasan 4) Bowled well on Day 1, did Hasan Mahmud, but not much of a batting record to suggest that he should be a No8 in Test cricket. It doesn’t say much for the 9, 10, and 11. But he adds a boundary to Bangladesh’s score, not very intentionally, just trying to keep Cummins out and edging him through the cordon.
The chase and chase alike between Smith and Joe Root in the stats column continues, with Smith now catching Root again on 218 Test catches. He went past Root during the Ashes, then Root went top again while playing New Zealand. It’ll continue for a while, you’d think, but Root will play for longer in the end. He’s already taken many more matches than Smith for their current shared tally.
WICKET! Mushfiqur c Smith b Cummins 36, Bangladesh 308-6
Finally, Australia get a run on! Cummins with his trademark length, and it’s slightly wide of off-stump but so often he angles the ball in from there. This one holds its line. Mushfiqur thinks of playing, thinks of leaving, and with the bat halfway between the two, runs the ball almost off the face of the bat while halfway down from its backlift. Smith hurls himself across to his right and holds the deflection.
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85th over: Bangladesh 307-5 (Mushfiqur 36, Mehidy 1) So here is Australia’s chance, they might now keep that deficit to 130, 140, 150, and have a shot at getting back into the game with a big third innings. Need to dislodge one more though: Mushfiqur playing well, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz fresh off a ton in the tour game. The latter gets a single first ball.
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WICKET! Litton Das c Smith b Starc 0, Bangladesh 306-5
The first Bangladeshi in this innings to fail with the bat, the injured keeper goes in simple Starc style: angle across the right-hander, a drive at a ball that isn’t full enough, and a nick to second slip.
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84th over: Bangladesh 306-4 (Mushfiqur 36, Litton 0) Another boundary for Mushy, throwing the bat outside off stump and sending a Hazlewood length ball through the air behind point.
83rd over: Bangladesh 300-4 (Mushfiqur 30, Litton 0) Mushy won’t go into his shell, driving Starc through the off side for three. Litton defends the rest of the over.
82nd over: Bangladesh 297-4 (Mushfiqur 27, Litton 0) Four byes down leg to start the over, then a no-ball, suggested Hazlewood rust, but he got the WD40 onto it quickly and slid Shanto out of the game. Litton Das is next in.
WICKET! Shanto c Smith b Hazlewood 84, Bangladesh 297-4
The new ball does the trick. As so often before. Extra bounce, Shanto just trying to defend, but Hazlewood seeks out the edge and finds it, and second slip is staffed by the most prolific catch-taker in Australian history, SPD Smith.
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81st over: Bangladesh 290-3 (Shanto 82, Mushfiqur 27) Swing, batter batter! Swing for Starc from the first ball, the new Kooka swerving away from the left-handed Shanto at a yorker length, missing off stump. Even Starc is surprised by the movement. Similar next ball, though Shanto squeezes it out into the off side to get away from strike. Mushfiqur doesn’t get anything as full, and is able to some balls angled across him as a right-hander without worrying about it swinging back.
80th over: Bangladesh 289-3 (Shanto 81, Mushfiqur 27) Last over with the old ball. Mitchell Starc warming up. Lyon bowls a quiet over, just the Shanto single, though Mushfiqur plays a few restrained shots that find the field.
79th over: Bangladesh 288-3 (Shanto 80, Mushfiqur 27) Oh, good grief. We’re starting after tea with the Labuschagne bouncer plan. That represents a team out of ideas. Australia’s first drop is thumping in medium pace halfway down the deck and hoping the batters do something stupid. Is that the best option straight off a break? You decide.
Two singles from it, Bangladesh lead by 90.
“I’ll say what we’re all thinking,” writes Rowan Sweeney. “I feel lucky to have the privilege of watching this Bangladesh side play cricket.”
Can’t tell if that’s genuine or a dig at England, but either will do. Plenty of digs possible at Australia, who need a withering new-ball burst to stay in this game. What a sentence to write. Darwin!
Just before stumps last night I had this email from Nick Inatey.
“Has there been another time since Boxing Day 2010 when England bowled Australia out for double digits and then ended the day 0/157 that Australia have been so outplayed by an opposition on day 1?”
And I think the answer is… no? Extend that to five sessions and it might be yes. To explain, in order to assess a team as having been dominated, they need to have batted and bowled. Having the visitors bat first for five sessions and rack up a big score doesn’t mean that the home side won’t respond in kind, so you need to have seen both disciplines.
Which generally means the home team needs to bat first and not make many. Hobart 2016 is the most obvious example, all out 85, but at least after three sessions Australia had taken wickets as well, and was a chance to keep the deficit vaguely within reach. After five sessions they were stuffed, as South Africa had a late-order batting rally.
But here, Bangladesh have bossed each session so far.
Australia are getting thumped by Bangladesh
Five sessions in, and five sessions won by the visitors – this has been an absolutely wonderful performance from a team that is defying the odds to be able to do what they’ve done. The early wicket yesterday was followed by a century stand. The breaking of that stand was very nearly followed by another. A second-gamer in a makeshift spot as opener has peeled off a ton, but it’s not just that, everyone else has made runs around him, and his dismissal didn’t spark a slide. The captain will now have half an eye on a century of his own, and the veteran at the other end is providing calm support.
New ball due soon after tea, so that will be key. At five sessions, Australia still have a path back into this match if they can keep the deficit to about 150. If they lose six sessions on the bounce, different story.
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78th over: Bangladesh 286-3 (Shanto 79, Mushfiqur 26) Turn things to your advantage! Mushfiqur’s lack of height works for him. Lyon’s ball isn’t that short, in fact it’s below bail height at the point of contact, but some width allows Mushy to get low and absolutely lace his cut shot behind point. He goes again for a single, and that will be the last score before tea.
77th over: Bangladesh 281-3 (Shanto 79, Mushfiqur 21) Meanwhile Head is bowling with great economy, Bangladesh risking nothing against him.
76th over: Bangladesh 279-3 (Shanto 78, Mushfiqur 20) Ooh, tries to repeat the dose against Lyon, does Shanto. Doesn’t get hold of his shot this time, and instead hits it high into the deep for three runs to deep mid. You don’t want to hole out minutes before tea, skipper. That shot comes after Mushfiqur has slog-swept Lyon in front of square for four. Lyon’s last three overs have gone 9, 8, 10.
75th over: Bangladesh 269-3 (Shanto 75, Mushfiqur 13) Travis Head has a bowl, which means that Captain Cummins is feeling the pitch. He launches into a huge crowd-catch celebration as a half volley is hit back to him! Always looking to have a good time, T. Head. After that, Mushy knocks him down the ground for an easy run. No risks from Bangers against Head, who can be a danger bowling. This partnership nearing 50.
74th over: Bangladesh 268-3 (Shanto 75, Mushfiqur 12) Cat and mouse here. Lyon comes over the wicket to the left-hander, hoping to put some questions in Shanto’s mind, and Shanto plays a reverse sweep against the ball outside leg and misses. Straighter ball, blocked. Outside leg, reverse again, this time smothering the ball just after it bounces and getting it past backward point for two. Straighter, defended. Then Shanto says, I ain’t no mouse, friend. Thunders down the pitch and Exocets that ball wayyyy over midwicket!
73rd over: Bangladesh 260-3 (Shanto 67, Mushfiqur 12) Without much on offer, Hazlewood is just bowling stump to stump, hoping to keep things dry after a glimpse of monsoon season. It works, keeping Shanto to a single.
72nd over: Bangladesh 259-3 (Shanto 66, Mushfiqur 12) Shot, Shanto. Fetches the sweep show from well outside off stump, but knows there is nobody fine behind square leg, and searches for that gap, getting the ball around the clockface. Aerial but safe, and four. Two through cover to follow. Changes strike, Mushfiqur sweeps two, the runs coming with ease against the old ball. Nine from the over.
71st over: Bangladesh 250-3 (Shanto 59, Mushfiqur 10) One was pondering whether Australia needed to get one of the main quicks on with a new player in and 14 overs to the new ball, and when that count reduces to 10 overs to go, Cummins makes the move. Hazlewood comes on for Webster. Nothing happening off this surface. The Bangladeshis play straight and pick up a few singles. They lead by 52.
70th over: Bangladesh 247-3 (Shanto 57, Mushfiqur 9) Another classy stroke from Mushy, starts with the skip down to Lyon and finishes with the ball at the cover rope.
69th over: Bangladesh 243-3 (Shanto 57, Mushfiqur 5) First ball of the over sits up, and Shanto doesn’t play the most elegant shot but does drag it away through mid on for four. He decides that’s enough risk for the over, leaving everything alone with Alex Carey just behind the left-hander’s left shoulder, keeping up to the stumps for Webster.
68th over: Bangladesh 239-3 (Shanto 53, Mushfiqur 5) Lyon has waited eight months to take Test wicket #538, and now he goes on with his work. A single.
67th over: Bangladesh 238-3 (Shanto 52, Mushfiqur 5) The confidence! Webster is bowling his mediums, and the diminutive Mushfiqur Rahim strides forward and nails a cover drive to the boundary! Lovely start, for a player who has waited since his debut in 2005 for his team to be invited to play in Australia.
66th over: Bangladesh 233-3 (Shanto 51, Mushfiqur 1) Lyon finishes his over, as Bangladesh’s most experienced international comes to the crease.
WICKET! Tanzid c Starc b Lyon 101, Bangladesh 231-3
If they say the darkest hour is right before the dawn, then the most dangerous hour is on 101. Tanzid’s concentration breaks. He has advanced with clarity at times in this innings, but deciding to hit over long off while Mitchell Starc is out in the deep is a moment of fog. Starc makes up excellent ground moving around straight, and takes the diving catch despite plugging one knee into the turf and rolling over awkwardly afterwards. He’s a bit sore, but comes up smiling.
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65th over: Bangladesh 231-2 (Tanzid 101, Shanto 50) Hooo boy. Thank you to JP for the first half of the day, and what a milestone moment that was to hand over. We are witnessing a truly extraordinary performance here. Tanzid survives the first over after his ton, blocking out Webster for five balls before glancing a single.
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And with that it’s time for a drink and a change in this commentary box with Geoff Lemon helming the controls until the end of play.
100 to Tanzid Hasan!
64th over: Bangladesh 230-2 (Tanzid 100, Shanto 50) Shanto calmly drives Lyon down the ground for a single to pass 50 for the 16th time in Tests. He has an excellent conversion rate too. Now all eyes turn to Tanzid on 99. The field does not come in. The opener leaves a wide half-volley! Then rejects another wider sucker ball. Finally he pierces the ring, scampers down the track, raises his arms to the sky, removes his helmet, and celebrates a magnificent maiden Test century.
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63rd over: Bangladesh 228-2 (Tanzid 99, Shanto 49) Shanto gets off strike first ball to allow Tanzid the opportunity to convert his maiden Test century. He gets a single…Then Shanto works one from the final ball to retain the strike.
62nd over: Bangladesh 225-2 (Tanzid 98, Shanto 47) Nearing a maiden Test century Tanzid is understandably starting to look a little skittish. Lyon gets one to beat the outside edge courtesy of some extra bounce, then he lofts a squirty drive that lands just short of the sweeper place out a deep long off.
“Hi, I am from India and our team is currently going through a brutal transition (two whitewashes at home),” emails Prakhar Gupta. “Australia can’t wait for the Ashes to end to begin their transition. Surely, this transition cannot be sudden. The new players need opportunities in pressure matches. This low-profile series was a good opportunity to test new players.”
61st over: Bangladesh 222-2 (Tanzid 96, Shanto 46) At 222-2 there’s a rare win for Australia with Cummins beating Tanzid for pace and striking him in the midriff.
Tom Frost coming in hot with the gags: “Australia should not be too worried, some of their players have only just turned 30 and their is still room for improvement!”. Boom, tish, tip your waitress, try the veal etc.
We’re only 4.5 sessions into this series, so conclusions should not be leapt to, but the conversation over squad renewal is going to dominate the next few days and weeks.
60th over: Bangladesh 219-2 (Tanzid 94, Shanto 45) Right on cue, here’s Lyon for his first spell of the afternoon. Shanto greets him by easing a couple down the ground, but the bowler soon finds his rhythm – and decent drop and drift – using the breeze that’s coming over his right shoulder. Nothing is happening off the pitch so deception through the air is the order of the day.
59th over: Bangladesh 216-2 (Tanzid 94, Shanto 42) With the new ball 22 overs away it is telling Lyon is not wheeling through a long spell, especially as temperatures push 34C. As it is, Cummins bends his back to little effect.
58th over: Bangladesh 214-2 (Tanzid 93, Shanto 41) Starc has swapped ends but the change of footmarks doesn’t bring about a change of fortunes as Shanto misses out on a pull shot before cracking a square cut from under his nose. This has been top class batting.
57th over: Bangladesh 207-2 (Tanzid 90, Shanto 37) The skipper brings himself back on. He needs to pull a rabbit out of a hat because this hot and humid day is quickly getting away from his team. Spoiler alert: no rabbits sighted, but Tanzid does demonstrate a lapse in concentration that sees him walk down the pitch and get beaten outside his off stump.
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56th over: Bangladesh 205-2 (Tanzid 89, Shanto 36) Bangladesh are starting to look more relaxed at the crease, getting their hands through the ball, aiming to capitalise on an old ball and tiring attack. This is chastening stuff for Australia.
55th over: Bangladesh 201-2 (Tanzid 88, Shanto 33) Bangladesh are ahead – with eight first innings wickets remaining! Tanzid is the right man to put his side in front and he does so with a lovely back cut off Starc. This is dreamland stuff for the tourists.
54th over: Bangladesh 196-2 (Tanzid 84, Shanto 33) Better from Australia. From around the wicket Hazlewood locates a decent line and length, testing the patience of both batters, who leave smartly and defend late from the crease before Shanto accepts the final ball gift – a bouncer always heading down the legside that just needs helping on its way.
Meanwhile, Labuschagne removes another huge clod of turf from the outfield with a sliding stop. This is the second time today he’s done that and makes me wince, knowing what the damage could be if his knee gets caught underneath him.
53rd over: Bangladesh 191-2 (Tanzid 83, Shanto 29) Starc struggles with his footmarks from over the wicket to the left-handers. He only passes 140kph twice as Bangladesh keep things ticking over with a couple of singles.
52nd over: Bangladesh 189-2 (Tanzid 82, Shanto 28) Hazlewood is bowling to a 5-4 field from around the wicket, targeting the delivery that troubles the shoulder of the bat. He executes just that to begin with, then lobs down a wide half-volley that Tanzid climbs into, sending it scorching through extra-cover to reach the highest score ever by a Bangladesh batter in Australia. Then he brings up the 50 partnership from just 74 balls courtesy of a punchy checked straight drive. The tourists resume where they left off.
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The teams are back out for the afternoon session. Can Bangladesh take the game away from the hosts? Or are we finally about to see an Australian fightback?
Josh Hazlewood has the ball.
“Can Australia get some young talent in?” implores Ahan Jain. “These bowlers and batters look cooked. Get McSweeney, Peake, Kellaway – anyone under the age of 27 - into the side. This team looks dead.”
I would say undercooked more than dead, but it is clearly a squad in need of rejuvenation. Obviously the expectation is for a major rebuild after the Ashes in 12 months time, but decisions may yet be forced upon selectors before then.
Australia used six bowlers that session but created precious few openings. The surface is unsuited to the attack, with tennis-ball bounce and a lack of pace meaning a “good” length is fuller and smaller than normal. The ball hasn’t helped either, offering nothing in the air and little off the deck. A change of ball in the over before lunch could pay dividends this afternoon.
Cummins has nursed his attack in the heat and humidity, keeping spells short, but the session still revealed Green continues to struggle to execute a defined role, Lyon is not yet fully fit on his return from injury, and in conditions offering little there is an absence of proactivity and creativity to make something happen.
The fourth session in a row is claimed handsomely by Bangladesh. Tanzid has led the way with an unbeaten 74, a knock that includes his maiden Test half-century, and he has been ably supported by Mominul (49) and Shanto 28*.
Just as with the three previous sessions it’s a performance built on discipline and patience. Bangladesh are taking few risks, leaving well, but still managing to put away the bad ball when offered.
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Lunch: Bangladesh 181-2 (Trail by 17)
51st over: Bangladesh 181-2 (Tanzid 74, Shanto 28) The new ball is almost immediately disfigured by a crunching straight drive from Shanto, who shows his touch as well as power with a neat dab around the corner for a couple more runs.
Lunch will be delayed a fraction as the umpires have asked for the ball to be replaced for going out of shape. Australia will be thrilled. The nut they’ve been using for 50 overs did practically nothing.
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50th over: Bangladesh 175-2 (Tanzid 74, Shanto 22) Green continues, but the defensive field he’s bowling to is a clear indication of how confident his captain feels about his prospects. The allrounder sends down a better over than his initial effort and almost steals a wicket when Tanzid’s drive outside off squirts to Webster in the gully on the half-volley.
49th over: Bangladesh 174-2 (Tanzid 74, Shanto 21) Lyon is landing the ball on a good line and length but little is happening for him off the surface.
48th over: Bangladesh 170-2 (Tanzid 71, Shanto 20) Australia turn to their sixth bowler of the session with Green replacing Cummins. The all-rounder’s stock length is too short on this surface, and his attempted bouncer has no venom, allowing Shanto plenty of time to pull a couple of runs forward of mid-wicket. Cricket being cricket, Green overcorrects so Shanto drives through the line, presenting the full face of the bat, and gets to admire a textbook straight drive. Green is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t, returning to his shorter length, so Shanto whip cracks a glorious pull that scuds to the mid-wicket fence. That was a real statement over from the Bangladesh skipper, and a worrying indication of Green’s bowling fitness and Australia’s plan for how to use him.
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47th over: Bangladesh 160-2 (Tanzid 71, Shanto 10) Lyon continues, allowing us the sight of Weatherald at short leg walking in with the bowler! That is an extraordinary technique, crouched, leading with his left foot like an old-fashioned sprinter, creating a couple of steps of forward momentum before adopting the familiar squat a couple of metres from the bat. I cannot see that catching on.
46th over: Bangladesh 159-2 (Tanzid 71, Shanto 9) Plenty of oohs and ahhs as Cummins senses Bangladesh’s patience is starting to wear thin close to lunch. The nearest miss is a loose drive from Tanzid that lands on the half-volley into the safe hands of Green in the gully.
45th over: Bangladesh 158-2 (Tanzid 71, Shanto 8) More runs for Tanzid, three this time, as Lyon loses his line and is swept fine.
“Surely the selectors can blood some younger talent,” laments Brock. “We just seem to be playing the same players even when they’re not performing - looking at you Marnus… And for the love of god why can’t Boland get a permanent test spot?”.
Labuschagne must be on thin ice given not only his lack of runs over a long period of time but the unconvincing and muddled manner in which he is batting. The problem is the lack of contenders behind him demanding selection.
Boland is just one of those historical anomalies. A 50+ Test regular in any other era he just happens to find himself competing with three modern greats for a spot in the side. He will see plenty of action over the coming 12 months though.
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44th over: Bangladesh 154-2 (Tanzid 68, Shanto 7) Tanzid is respectful to Cummins for four deliveries, sensing the need to dig in with Australia creating a couple of opportunities, but he still manages to time a sumptuous square drive off the back foot that scoots away to the boundary. That was a lovely stroke.
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43rd over: Bangladesh 149-2 (Tanzid 63, Shanto 7) After 90 minutes of relatively uninspiring fast-medium bowling, it’s time for Nathan Lyon. Cummins gives his off-spinner a pretty defensive field to begin with, allowing Shanto an easy single to rotate strike. Then TANZID IS DROPPED at slip by Smith! It was wide, Tanzid played back to cut late, thick-edged the shot on to Carey’s arm behind the stumps, sending the ball looping towards the diving Smith at slip who just overreached with his stretch, failing to pouch the ricochet one-handed. That was a double let-off, first Carey not holding on to the difficult opportunity, then Smith not adjusting in time for a more gettable second effort.
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42nd over: Bangladesh 147-2 (Tanzid 62, Shanto 6) There is a bowling change – but it’s still right-arm pace – with Cummins curtailing Hazlewood’s spell at four overs. Shanto is the first batter today to attempt a pull shot but he can only under-edge onto his boots, drawing a wry smile from his opposing captain. Shanto remains positive, driving straight for a three that invites Travis Head to test his middle-distance running in the NT heat.
41st over: Bangladesh 144-2 (Tanzid 62, Shanto 3) Tanzid is unperturbed by the loss of his longtime partner, coming down the pitch to Webster once again and lofting a drive over the bowler’s head. This one isn’t timed as sweetly and plugs in the outfield for a gently-run three. Shanto then gets off the mark with a checked drive down the ground for three more. It must be time for Nathan Lyon very very soon.
40th over: Bangladesh 138-2 (Tanzid 59, Shanto 0) Captain Shanto is the fourth left-hander in a row to come to the crease. He sees off the remainder of the Hazlewood over, the first successful one of the morning for Australia.
WICKET! Mominul c Carey b Hazlewood 49 (Bangladesh 138-2)
Mominul fails to reach his 50, slashing uncharacteristically at a wide one from Hazlewood and sending a healthy edge through to the keeper. An innings of intelligence and discipline ends disappointingly. Australia finally get a breakthrough.
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39th over: Bangladesh 138-1 (Tanzid 59, Mominul 49) Webster’s lack of pace induces a rare uppish drive from Tanzid that has point interested briefly. The opener could easily allow that mistimed drive to get into his head, but no, he sashays down the track, opens his stance, and lofts a length delivery sweetly over long off for a maiden six in Test cricket. That was gorgeous. Carey comes up to the stumps in response.
38th over: Bangladesh 132-1 (Tanzid 53, Mominul 49) Hazlewood is targeting the gloves of the Bangladesh batters from around the wicket, looking threatening occasionally with one that lifts off a length, but it’s not the most sophisticated tactic.
Time for drinks. Another hour of play goes Bangladesh’s way.
37th over: Bangladesh 129-1 (Tanzid 51, Mominul 48) Mominul almost joins his batting partner with a half-century but fails to punish a wide half-volley then mistimes a square cut as Webster searches for a probing line and length.
36th over: Bangladesh 128-1 (Tanzid 50, Mominul 48) Tanzid tips and runs for a well-run single but Hazlewood responds well, drawing a rare false defensive prod from Mominul, getting the ball to hold its line from around the wicket. Hazlewood aims for the same area but is a fraction fuller and wider, allowing Mominul to free his hands and square drive confidently for four. This is superb batting, defending with great concentration then capitalising on the rare loose delivery.
Speaking of superb batting, Mominul rotates the strike allowing Tanzid Hasan the chance to dab Hazlewood behind square and bring up his maiden Test 50 in his second match.
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35th over: Bangladesh 120-1 (Tanzid 48, Mominul 43) Webster gets a second over of the day as Cummins shuffles his attack in search of the right combination. Mominul continues to leave superbly, especially on height, refusing to be tempted into anything rash despite the drop in pace to around 120kph. Both batter and bowler are happy to share a maiden.
34th over: Bangladesh 120-1 (Tanzid 48, Mominul 43) Josh Hazlewood replaces the ineffective Cummins but he begins poorly, leaking down the legside to Tanzid from over the wicket, then offering a half-volley that’s parried by extra-cover, the fielder turning four into one. Hazlewood comes around to Mominul and gets a little extra bounce from a length that clips the inside shoulder of the bat and squirts away for a single.
There’s a brief scare for Bangladesh as Tanzid thinks of a quick single but Mominul correctly sends him back. Green’s throw from gully was wide regardless.
33rd over: Bangladesh 118-1 (Tanzid 47, Mominul 42) Starc’s radar goes awry this over. Tanzid keeps his nerve, punching a couple of runs through the covers to keep the scoreboard moving, then square driving crisply for a single. There is not a lot happening out there for Australia. It might already be time for Nathan Lyon and some unconventional plans of attack.
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Goodness me that is a stinker of a review. There is a massive gap between bat and ball, but the fielders were clearly misled by the sound of a ball flicking a pad strap. Starc was only half-interested to begin with, Carey not at all, so someone else close to the bat has a lot to answer for for persuading Cummins into that referral.
Australia review the first delivery of Starc’s 11th over for a legside catch. It looked speculative in real time.
32nd over: Bangladesh 115-1 (Tanzid 44, Mominul 42) Cummins continues to strive for the correct length. His natural length on most pitches is too short on this pitch, leading him to a two-phase strategy: full at the stumps, or short to the armpit – aided by a leg gully. However, anything short is dying in the surface and Bangladesh are not looking to attack anything that isn’t loose.
31st over: Bangladesh 115-1 (Tanzid 44, Mominul 42) Tanzid guides a thick edge along the ground through the vacant third slip region for the second boundary of the morning. Starc is now cruising above 140kph but he has yet to locate the ideal line and length for this surface with a ball that is offering nothing in the air.
Bangladesh have survived the opening half-hour with minimal frights. They have clearly prepared extremely well mentally for this series; patience and execution with the ball yesterday, and concentration with the bat this morning.
30th over: Bangladesh 111-1 (Tanzid 40, Mominul 42) Bangladesh have flirted with a few deliveries outside the off-stump this morning to offer Australia’s quicks some confidence. Tanzid plays and misses a Cummins delivery he should have left so the home skipper sends down an identical ball that the Bangladesh opener forcefully punches away for two. Cummins responds by coming back over the wicket, Tanzid plays the ball away into the offside where Labuschagne gets his left knee caught in the turf executing a slide. No harm was done but that was reminiscent of Simon Jones’s horrible injury at the Gabba many years ago.
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29th over: Bangladesh 108-1 (Tanzid 37, Mominul 42) Starc is really focussing on bowling as full as possible, throwing in the occasional shorter delivery to mix things up. Mominul loses his concentration to that change-up, wafting a loose attempted ramp that almost grazes the outside edge. A promising over for Australia ends with a maiden.
28th over: Bangladesh 108-1 (Tanzid 37, Mominul 42) Cummins adjusts his approach to around the wicket to Mominul but is fortunate a half-volley is driven straight to the alert Labuschagne in the covers. The first attempted lifter of the day gets up high enough to clip the batter’s bottom hand., but it was slow and loopy bounce, consistent with what we’ve seen all Test so far.
There is little sideways movement on offer for Australia, and the tennis ball bounce means the window of a good length is very short. AKA: a Scott Boland pitch.
27th over: Bangladesh 105-1 (Tanzid 35, Mominul 41) The Webster experiment lasts just one over with Mitchell Starc recalled to the attack to fling down his left-arm over thunderbolts. Starc is searching for a full length, recognising that anything shorter is bouncing over the stumps, but there’s no swing on offer meaning this settled partnership can play from the crease comfortably.
26th over: Bangladesh 103-1 (Tanzid 34, Mominul 40) Pat Cummins selects himself as Webster’s partner, making it a pair of right-arm over bowlers delivering to left-handed batters. And it’s the batters on top early with Mominul flicking the first boundary of the morning, cashing in on a leg stump half volley.
Bangladesh have started exactly as they operated yesterday, defending the straight ones, leaving the wider ones, and cashing in on anything loose. Classic Test match batting.
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25th over: Bangladesh 99-1 (Tanzid 34, Mominul 36) A surprise from Australia with their sixth choice bowler opening proceedings for the day, perhaps trying to catch Bangladesh by surprise, perhaps being introduced to facilitate a change of ends? Webster justifies his inclusion, beating the bat twice with beautiful deliveries that pitch just short of a length and seam away from the left-handed Tanzid. Searching for a fuller length Webster overpitches and Bangladesh chip away at the deficit.
Beau Webster is the unlikely opening bowler for Australia. Here we go…
The teams are making their way out to the middle of the NT MCG. A hot and humid day two will begin shortly.
The drier, more straw coloured pitch is expected to be more favourable for batting today after the green-tinged surface offered sideways movement and variable bounce on day one. There are some indentations in the surface caused by the new ball nibbling into the soft top which could lead to awkward corrugation as the match progresses.
It is hot and humid at Marrara Cricket Ground with temperatures peaking at around 33C.
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Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the day. The address is jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
Preamble
Welcome back to live OBO coverage of the first Test between Australia and Bangladesh from Darwin where Bangladesh will begin the second day 96-1 in reply to Australia’s first innings 198.
The opening day of this series has claims to being the best in the history of Bangladesh Test cricket. After losing the toss, a trio of diligent seam bowlers landed the ball repeatedly in the right areas and let the pitch do the rest. It wasn’t flashy, it didn’t rely on a squadron of mystery spinners, and it wasn’t accompanied by much hoopla. It was unexpected, and glorious to watch.
It was also the kind of jolt this most off-Broadway of series required.
Australia are at the start of a 12-month odyssey that includes side quests in South Africa and India, a sesquicentennial celebration, and an Ashes tour destined to bring the curtain down on a host of record breaking careers. Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay was supposed to be the equivalent of a couple of gentle looseners in an indoor net.
But in the space of 53 overs creeping doubts over the batting lineup took on an altogether more worrying tone.
The techniques of Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne are not currently up to scratch. The opener is nearly 32, playing his sixth Test, averaging just 22. First drop turned 32 recently and hasn’t struck a century since 2023, since when he’s averaged 25 from 22 matches. Ordinarily, the ruthless Australian system would have little tolerance for this kind of underperformance but selectors are not blessed with a wealth of alternatives.
Further down the order Cameron Green looks unconvincing in his role as the number five enforcer. Two 50-plus scores in his last 17 Tests suggests this is not an anomaly. At 27, Green is the youngest player in the XI and the only member of the team under 30.
The upshot is this Australia side relies enormously on Travis Head and Steve Smith. The latter held the first innings together, but should have been caught by second slip on two.
A feature of this Australian side under the leadership of Pat Cummins has been its ability to bounce back from poor sessions or days. A response can be expected today.
But even if the home side wrests control back in this match over the coming hours it will not eliminate the issues that will require addressing over the coming months.
