A dominant Bangladesh stunned Australia to win the opening Test by a crushing nine wickets in Darwin on Sunday for a historic first-ever Test victory on Australian soil.
After bowling Australia out for 284 and needing 57 to win, the visitors cruised past the total when Mominul Haque slashed Beau Webster to the backward point boundary.
Unfancied Bangladesh dominated a full-strength Australia throughout and the margin of victory will send shock waves through the cricketing world. “This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format,” captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
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“Going forward we want to do something special in the future.
“I’m very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work.”
After bowling Australia out for 198 in the first innings, the visitors always looked the more likely to win.
They kept the pressure on throughout Sunday and didn’t panic when Cameron Green (104) brought up his third Test century after lunch on day four.
Green was offered no real support from his teammates and the Bangladeshis kept taking vital scalps to leave Australia on the ropes, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking 5-66.
Najmul said the shock win was the result of Bangladesh players, especially the fast bowlers, putting more emphasis on red-ball cricket.
“Five years ago pacers didn’t want to play Tests, but we’ve been playing lots of Test cricket and they are giving importance to the Test format,” he said.
“They want to play, want to perform, want to be world-class. That is the mindset they now have.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins was full of praise for their opponents, admitting Bangladesh were better in every aspect.
It was Bangladesh’s first Test win in Australia, at the third attempt.
“They outplayed us in all facets, they were patient and disciplined,” said Cummins.
“I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses.
“They played well. We had to find a way to bat longer and then we couldn’t penetrate with the ball.”
Australia out of answers
The visitors went into the match with most observers giving them no chance of winning.
Their only warm-up game, against a Cricket Australia XI, ended in a big loss that included a second-innings collapse where they were all out for 54.
But they completely outplayed the Australians and won every session, batting, bowling and catching better than their more illustrious counterparts.
Australia, fielding their best possible team, looked out of sorts from the beginning.
Their batting failed in the first innings when they were bowled out on the opening day, then their much-vaunted bowling attack struggled against the gritty Bangladesh batsmen.
Led by a maiden Test century from opener Tanzid Hasan, Bangladesh made 426 and kept Australia in the field for 138 overs in Darwin’s heat and humidity.
The bowlers then showed great patience Saturday to make regular breakthroughs and keep Australia under the cosh.
When Australia resumed Sunday on 161-4, their hopes lay with Alex Carey and Green.
Carey lived dangerously in the opening 30 minutes, twice edging seamer Hasan Mahmud through the vacant slips cordon for boundaries.
But on 30 off-spinner Mehidy produced a beautiful ball, pitching in line then turning sharply to take Carey’s outside edge to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
He struck again soon after, bowling Webster for five to leave Australia 193-6 and in deep trouble.
A famous victory edged closer when Cummins pushed forward to a Mehidy delivery and got an inside edge to short leg, where Shadman Islam took a sharp chance.
Australia were 207-7, still 21 runs behind Bangladesh’s first-innings total.
Green and Mitchell Starc batted sensibly to ensure Bangladesh had to bat again.
Starc fell for 18 caught behind but Green was playing well.
But despite looking increasingly comfortable, he was undone when a Hasan ball kept low, hit the toe end of his bat and cannoned into the stumps.
Mehidy wrapped up the innings when he trapped Nathan Lyon plumb in front leg before.
Despite losing Tanzid in the first over, Mominul and Shadman cruised to victory.
Source: Khaleej Times