Australia’s bubble burst as Bangladesh storm to historic Test win

Darwin: Australia’s Test team bubble has been comprehensively burst by Bangladesh, after the tourists meted out a nine-wicket humiliation of Pat Cummins’ men for their first-ever red ball victory on these shores.

Having presaged this game with innings defeats by Zimbabwe and then a modest Cricket Australia XI, the tourists turned Darwin into Tiger land by thoroughly outplaying Australia in every session, for a result that will force urgent conversations about the makeup of an ageing team.

Cameron Green (104) was the lone source of substantial resistance for the Australians, who briefly glimpsed the possibility of an innings defeat before they were bowled out for 284. Bangladesh lost the sole wicket of first innings century-maker Tanzid Hasan before skating home.

All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5-66) bowled magnificently for Bangladesh, getting some deliveries to turn sharply out of the footmarks and others to skid through straight. With the benefit of scoreboard pressure, he comfortably out-bowled Nathan Lyon.

First innings hero Hasan Mahmud (3-56) was also a vital contributor, finishing the match with nine wickets, including the final hammer blow to remove Green. Former skipper Ricky Ponting has already called for significant change to the Test side, with opener Jake Weatherald and number three Marnus Labuschagne most vulnerable.

“I’m the last one to want to make change,” Ponting said on Seven when the match was in its death throes. “As a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep a group together, so it has to get to a bad point before I start saying you’ve got to leave somebody out.

“But there’s been enough evidence for me coming here to suggest they weren’t going to lose anything, or much at all, by starting that regeneration, bringing in another opener, bringing in someone at three … I think that has to happen.

“They’ve been out-batted, they’ve been out-bowled and Bangladesh have probably fielded better as well. So to be in a situation they are, in Australian conditions, against a team from the subcontinent, not good.”

Alex Carey never looked to be in command, and twice edged Mahmud through the slips before Mehidy dismissed him with a classical off-break that took an edge behind.

Green was more solid, and played one nicely down the ground to raise his first Test match 50 since the tour of the West Indies over a year ago.

Beau Webster was then befuddled by another beauty from Mehidy, a slightly quicker off-break that drifted then skidded through to beat the outside edge and flick the off stump.

That brought skipper Pat Cummins to the crease, with little short of a miracle required to avoid defeat. He never looked comfortable, beaten several times before propping forward and squeezing a bat-pad catch to forward short leg.

Mitchell Starc then joined Green at the crease, and together they were at least able to ensure that Bangladesh would have to bat again in pursuit of their first-ever Test match victory in Australia.

Any grand thoughts of a big stand were soon extinguished, however, as senior paceman Taskin Ahmed coaxed a thin outside edge from Starc (18). Nathan Lyon narrowly avoided a run out, before Green unfurled a superb pull shot for six to move into the 90s.

A pair of twos, the second of them tight, then took Green to his first Test hundred in Australia, an excellent innings that showcased why he is the future of the batting line-up. He marked the moment with a clenched fist before acknowledging a strong ovation from the Darwin faithful, who totalled 18,352 spectators over four days.

Green alluded to criticism of his recent lack of runs when interviewed by Adam Gilchrist after his century, and also indicated he had returned to his former batting methods after struggling lately to balance the competing demands of three formats.

“I feel like there’s always wolves when you play Test cricket,” Green said on Fox Cricket. “I think especially when you play for Australia, you’ve always had to perform, so yeah it’s nice to get a performance.

“I think I just went back to what I used to do back in the day. I think I’ve just been chopping and changing a little bit recently, so yeah it’s nice just to go back to what worked.”

Bangladesh bit back soon after, as Mahmud got a delivery to skid through low on the day four pitch and it deflected onto the stumps from the bottom of Green’s bat. Mehidy finished the job with a flatter delivery, that pinned Lyon (15) in front of middle stump as he tried to sweep.

Bowled out for 54 in the aforementioned warm-up game, Bangladesh never looked like providing a repeat collapse, as the small contingent of Tigers supporters grew increasingly jubilant.

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