Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons has urged his players to keep their emotions under control and maintain the discipline that produced a historic Test victory over Australia as they prepare for the second and final Test in Mackay.
Bangladesh stunned Australia by nine wickets in Darwin last week to secure their first Test victory on Australian soil. They now have an opportunity to claim their first Test series win in the southern hemisphere, but Simmons knows the hosts are likely to respond strongly at Harrup Park from Saturday.
Simmons described the Darwin triumph as the best Test victory of his coaching career, which has included stints with Ireland, Zimbabwe, the West Indies and Afghanistan.
“I've had other formats with big ones but, in Tests, it is the best,” Simmons said after Thursday’s training session.
The 63-year-old Trinidadian, who scored a Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during his playing career, stressed that Australia would return with greater intensity in Mackay.
“The only thing I had to say to them is that Australia is going to come harder. So we have to either keep that level of performance or get a little bit better,” he said.
Simmons had already warned his players against becoming carried away by their landmark victory. In the dressing room after the Darwin Test, he reminded them that their achievement would remain one of the biggest moments of their careers, while also insisting that the series was only halfway through.
The coach admitted that controlling emotions could be particularly challenging for his Bangladesh players after such a significant result.
“Bangladesh people are emotional – and I am not the same,” Simmons said with a smile. “So it's easy for me to control that, but it's difficult for them.”
However, he was encouraged by what he saw at training, saying the players appeared to have settled after several days to absorb the significance of their victory.
Simmons could also have another pace option at his disposal with Shoriful Islam pushing for a return to the XI. The left-arm quick missed the first Test with a side strain but bowled an impressive spell in the nets on Thursday and appears to have recovered fully.
Shoriful offers Bangladesh an additional dimension with his pace, height and left-arm angle. He also took six wickets against Australia in an ODI in June.
Simmons, however, remains reluctant to alter a winning combination, with Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain among those who could potentially make way if Shoriful is selected.
“He offers something different, but again, we just won a Test match, so I am one who hardly likes to change winning XIs,” Simmons said.
Bangladesh did receive some injury concerns during training. Opener Tanzid Hasan, who scored his maiden Test century in Darwin, did not bat because of a neck issue. Mushfiqur Rahim was struck on a finger while batting in the nets but returned to training and is expected to be available for the second Test.
Simmons was particularly pleased with Bangladesh’s bowling effort in Darwin, where their attack repeatedly kept Australia’s batters under pressure through disciplined lines and lengths.
He said the same approach would be required in Mackay against an Australian batting order capable of responding quickly.
“They are good batsmen, they're world-class batsmen,” Simmons said. “As long as we stick to what we've planned and make sure that they're under pressure all the time, that's what we ask for.”
With history within reach, Bangladesh will need to reproduce the composure and consistency that carried them to their remarkable Darwin victory.