Australia VS Bangladesh

Second Test

Australia defeated Bangladesh in the second test match to draw the series 1-1.

Australia won the second test by an innings and 51 runs after they bowled Bangladesh out forb64 and 95 respectively.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc was awarded player of the match after bowling 10 wickets throughout the match. Starc took his first five wickets in 22 balls, the fifth fastest five wicket haul ever.

Bangladesh’s batsmen struggled with the bouncier pitch at Mackay compared to the first test at Darwin.

Australia’s fast bowlers capitalised on the extra bounce through mixing bouncers with fuller deliveries, resulting in uncertainty and poor footwork by Bangladesh’s top order batsmen.

For example in the first innings, both Tanzid Hasan and Mominul Haque did not use their feet to stride toward the ball and they both edged it to fielders behind the stumps.

Australia’s field placements were also effective as 15 of Bangladesh’s dismissals were caught.

Only Bangladesh captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and veteran, Musfiqur Rahim, made more than 15 runs throughout the match. Both players used their feet positively and drove well, as Shanto made 31 runs, while Rahim was 29 not out in the second innings.

Shoriful Islam was Bangladesh’s best player in the second test because he took seven wickets in Australia’s only innings, including Australia’s top scorer, Cameron Green, who cemented his place in Australia’s XI with a 67-run performance after a century in the first test.

Aside from Green, Steve Smith was Australia’s best batsman averaging 52 runs for the series. Smith scored predominantly through the off-side through drives and back foot punches.

Australia’s top-order struggled however, as opener Travis Head averaged 20 runs in the series, and all three of his dismissals were similar with Head chopping deliveries pitched on 4th stump back onto his stumps.

Australia’s other opener, Jake Weatherald, was replaced by Matthew Renshaw for the second test, after only scoring 23 runs in the first test.

Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald said no. 3 batsman Marnus Labuschagne needed big runs after he made 32 runs in the first test match.

But Labuschagne made four in Australia’s only innings in the second test, and he has not made a century in his last 43 innings. Since then Labuschagne has averaged 25 runs, with 67% of his dismissals caught by a fielder.

First Test in Darwin

Shanto said Bangladesh’s first ever test victory in Australia was Bangladesh’s greatest victory in their cricket history.

Australia was bowled out for 198 in the first innings as Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan MahMud was named player of the match for his six wickets in the first innings.

Bangladesh made 426 runs in their first innings, as opener Tanzid made his first test century and had a 93-run partnership with Shanto.

Both batsmen used their feet positively, but Australian fast bowler, Josh Hazelwood, responded by bowling around the wicket at a straighter angle, resulting in the wicket of Shanto on 84.

Hazelwood took seven wickets in his first test match for 13 months after missing the entire Ashes series with hamstring and Achilles tendon injuries.

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz decimated Australia’s middle-order in the second innings, as Australia only posted a lead of 56 that Bangladesh successfully chased. Miraz took six wickets at an economical two runs per over.

Pat Cummins said Bangladesh outplayed Australia in all facets and were “quite disciplined” following the loss.

Australia leads the world test championship standings and will play the second placed South Africa in a three test match series, beginning on the 9th of October.