Tigers stage brilliant fightback

Tigers spinners Shakib al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan Miraz kept the Australia batsmen at bay after what was a dreadful day for the batters of both the sides. The spin duo dismissed three Australia batsmen for 18 runs as the visitor batted out nine overs in reply to Bangladesh’s 260 in the first innings. The tourist trail by 242 runs with seven wickets in hand as the umpire removed the bails to signal the end of day one of the first Test match in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The Mirpur track was expected to help the spinners but only as the game progresses. But purchase for the spinners came early upon the freshly done wickets, as nine of the 13 wickets to fall on the day went to the slow bowlers, turning it into a spinner’s paradise.

1st Test: Bangladesh spinners spoil strong day for Australia#BANvAUS

Read: https://t.co/ag28YiIWGn pic.twitter.com/7YvNR7ozgh— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) August 27, 2017

Bangladesh went out to field with their chins down only to get revived as Shakib and Miraz removed three Aussie batsmen in quick succession. Off-spinner Miraz was a bowler to look forward to, provided one is supporting Bangladesh. The former Bangladesh U-19 captain was epic for the Tigers when they last played a Test in Mirpur, against England last year. Miraz did not take long to repeat the heroics as he dismissed vice-captain David Warner in the third over of the innings. Miraz was introduced to the attack in just the second over, and right from the word go, the offie attacked the visiting batsmen, and the results came soon. The youngster pinned Warner (eight) in front of the stumps as Australia were reeling on nine for one. Warner would have walked back to the dressing a ball early if the TV umpire had not overturned umpire Aleem Dar’s LBW decision. Left-hander Usman Khawaja fell next, courtesy a run-out. With opener Matt Renshaw at the other end, Khawaja looked for a single only to change his mind halfway while taking the run. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim chased the ball and threw it towards the stumps as Soumya Sarkar grabbed the ball and dismantled the wicket with Khawaja still to reach home.

An eventful day of test cricket in Mirpur.#BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/uEQ8H9eVnv— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) August 27, 2017

With only 11 balls remaining in the day’s play, Australia sent nightwatchman Nathan Lyon but this move backfired too. Shakib in the last ball of the over removed Lyon for nought to leave Australia tottering on 14 for three. Bangladesh ending the day with a lot of momentum in their side could not however, erase the faults with the bat. Minus the efforts from opener Tamim Iqbal and Shakib, the host failed to justify their decision of batting first.

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Also read: Tamim, Shakib rise again for Bangladesh in hour of need

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They crumbled against Australia spinners to end their first innings in 78.5 overs. As the series approached, the Tigers exhibited confidence of putting up a fight over a side that they have never played a Test against in the last 11 years. But as far as batting is concerned, Bangladesh failed to back up their words. Overnight rain over Mirpur forced the wickets to be covered and when the game started yesterday morning, pacer Pat Cummins initiated a triple blow, accounting for the wicket of opener Soumya for eight. Left-hander Imrul Kayes and middle-order batsman Sabbir Rahman soon followed Soumya to the dressing room without adding a single run to the board.

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Also read: We’re in driving seat but must maintain focus, says Shakib

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Tamim and Shakib took charge of the drowning ship and both scored a fifty in their respective 50th Test. The two experienced campaigners added 155 for the fourth wicket to pull Bangladesh from 10 for three to 165 for four. Tamim played the role of the anchor, only hitting the ball when the opportunity arose. Off the 71 runs the left-hander scored, the first 16 came off 70-odd balls. Tamim was dismissed after he tried to cut the delivery only to top edge off part-time spinner Glenn Maxwell. Shakib stood at the wicket for another eight overs, scoring 84, featuring 11 boundaries, before Lyon removed him. Nasir Hossain, who is playing his first Test for Bangladesh since 2015, chipped in with 23 while Mushfiq and Miraz added 18 each.BRIEF SCOREBangladesh 260 in 78.5 overs (Shakib 84, Tamim 71) lead Australia 18/3 in nine overs (Shakib 1/3, Miraz 1/7) by 242 runsBangladesh XI: Mushfiqur Rahim (c & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Shakib al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taijul IslamAustralia XI: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood