Bangladesh is nearing a significant victory in their Test history, with Australia struggling at 161-4 at stumps on day three of the first Test in Darwin. The hosts are still 67 runs behind Bangladesh’s total, setting up a challenging task for the remaining Australian batsmen.
Cameron Green, with 43 not out, and Alex Carey, on 19 not out, are currently at the crease, attempting to keep Australia’s hopes alive. The team faces the immediate challenge of erasing the deficit before building a defendable total. Should Bangladesh secure six more wickets swiftly, they could achieve an innings victory, marking their first Test win on Australian soil.
Bangladesh extends lead and takes key wickets
Resuming the day at 351-6, Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a crucial role in extending Bangladesh’s first-innings total. He guided the tail-enders to add another 75 runs, bringing the visitors’ score to 426 all out. This effort pushed their first-innings lead beyond 200 runs. Miraz formed partnerships of 46 runs with Hasan Mahmud, 18 runs with Taijul Islam, and another 46 runs with Taskin Ahmed before being dismissed for 65 runs from 154 balls.
Josh Hazlewood was a standout bowler for Australia, claiming all four wickets that fell on Saturday. He finished with figures of 6-89 from 28 overs. His dismissal of Miraz also marked his 300th Test wicket, making him the ninth Australian and fourth member of Australia’s “Big Four” bowling attack to reach this milestone.
Australia’s fielding performance included three dropped catches on the day, bringing their total for the match to five. One notable miss was by Steve Smith in the deep.
Australia’s top-order struggles continue
Australia’s innings began with the loss of both openers cheaply, allowing Bangladesh to strengthen their position at Marrara Stadium. Jake Weatherald was dismissed for 0, and Travis Head for 17, both chopping on while attempting to cut deliveries from paceman Hasan Mahmud. This left Australia at 37-2.
Mahmud’s performance in this match has been significant, bringing his total wicket tally to eight. His first-innings return of 6-55 was instrumental in dismissing Australia for 198, setting the tone for Bangladesh’s dominance over the subsequent two days.
Marnus Labuschagne, who has been looking for runs after a lean period, appeared active at the crease but was bowled for 31 runs from 59 deliveries after missing a straight ball from spinner Taijul Islam, who finished with 1-28.
The match took a decisive turn in Bangladesh’s favour when Mehidy Hasan Miraz secured a caught-and-bowled dismissal of Steve Smith for 44 runs. This left Australia at 122-4, still 106 runs behind. Smith’s departure was a crucial moment, as he had been accumulating runs with minimal risk and was seen as a key figure for Australia’s rescue mission.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed satisfaction with his team’s character and play over the past few days. The largest first-innings deficit Australia has overcome to win a home Test was 206 runs, achieved against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2010.
Cameron Green and Alex Carey now face the challenge of building a substantial partnership to prevent defeat. The three-Test series between England and Pakistan is scheduled to be broadcast live from August 19.
Source: skysports.com
