A new ground, an old routine
Harrup Park became the 12th Australian venue to stage a Test match, and it took Mitchell Starc one delivery to make the occasion his own. Pat Cummins had won the toss and bowled, Shadman Islam was squared up by the first ball of the match, and Cameron Green took a stooping catch in the gully. It was the fourth time in Starc’s career that he has struck with the opening ball of a Test.
What followed was closer to a demolition than a spell. Tanzid Hasan edged behind for a duck, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was trapped lbw first ball, Mominul Haque was caught by Green in the gully and Litton Das went lbw to leave Bangladesh 12 for 5 inside seven overs. Starc had his five-for after 22 deliveries and finished with 6 for 12.
Try it for $0.99.
Shoriful answers with a spell of his own
Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in 34 overs, reported as the fourth-lowest total in their Test history. On most days that settles a match by tea. This was not most days.
Shoriful Islam, playing his first Test on Australian soil, took 6 for 35 and dragged the innings back into contention. Australia closed on 165 for 8, a lead of 101, having been in a position from which the game should have been out of reach. Green was unbeaten on 51 and remains the difference between a modest advantage and a genuinely awkward evening for the hosts.
Eighteen wickets on the opening day of a Test is rare in any conditions, and this was a bright winter morning in north Queensland rather than a green seamer in Hobart. Both attacks found movement that neither batting side handled.
Bangladesh still hold the series
Context matters here. Bangladesh won the first Test in Darwin, dismissing Australia for 198 and 284 while posting 426 of their own, and they lead the two-match series. Australia named an unchanged attack, with Matt Renshaw the only alteration to the side beaten in Darwin, and Alex Carey kept wicket in his 50th Test.
A lead of 101 with two wickets in hand is not the cushion Australia had earned at lunch. Shoriful took it away from them.
Discover the rest of our sports news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply