Patient Warner takes Australia ahead of Bangladesh

Australia managed to take a 72-run first innings lead riding on vice-captain David Warner’s 20th century, after day three of their second and final Test match against Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Wednesday. In what was a rain-interrupted day, Australia posted 377 for the loss of nine wickets at stumps with lower-order batsmen Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon unbeaten on eight and nought respectively. The day three’s play started after lunch, at 1:15pm local time, as constant rain halted play in the morning session. Bangladesh made the breakthrough in the 10th over of the day as middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb was run out by a brilliant throw from midwicket by all-rounder Shakib al Hasan.Warner was on 99 and tried to take a cheeky single but eventually called off the run. But a sharp throw from Shakib hit the timber in the non-striker’s end and Handscomb returned to the dressing room scoring 82. Warner later bagged his second century of the series. The fourth-wicket partnership between Warner and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell stretched to 48 before left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman took the important wicket of the former in the 89th over.Warner tried to pull a bouncer from Mustafizur but got caught by leg gully fielder Imrul Kayes. Australia’s middle- and lower-order batsmen then built up small partnerships to extend the lead and eventually ended the day on 377/9. Both Maxwell (38) and all-rounder Hilton Cartwright (18) crafted good starts but failed to convert their innings into big one. Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade continued to struggle with the bat as he missed a straight delivery from Mustafizur and got trapped in front for only eight. Mustafizur was impressive on day three as he picked up two wickets.Youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz also took two for the Tigers on day three while Shakib and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took one apiece. Shakib’s dismissal of lower-order batsman Ashton Agar hinted that the pitch might turn on day four and five as the ball turned quite sharply and surprised everyone before the last over of the day. Bangladesh dropped quite a few catches, particularly Miraz grassing Maxwell when he was on 10, while the struggling Soumya Sarker dropping Agar in the late hour. As Australia are already leading by 72, Bangladesh’s target will be to take the final wicket as early as possible and bat well in their second innings. But rain may interrupt more in the remaining days as forecasts predict more rainfall.BRIEF SCOREBangladesh 305 in 113.2 overs (Mushfiq 68, Sabbir 66, Lyon 7/94) trail Australia 377/9 in 118 overs (Warner 123, Handscomb 82, Mustafizur 3/84) by 72 runs

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