Brilliant Warner, Lyon inspire clinical Australia

Australia defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets to level the two-match Test series 1-1 during day four of their second Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Thursday. Bangladesh only set an 86-run target to the visitor and the Aussies reached the target in 15.3 overs losing their three top-order batsmen. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell scored the winning runs by smashing a sixer over deep mid wicket against off-spinner Nasir Hossain.

Leading wicket-takers in 2017

1. @NathLyon421 - 45 wickets at an average of 22.35 2. Jadeja - 44 @ 22.4 2. Ashwin - 44 @ 26.95 ? #BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/JPVLKUxTvr— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 7, 2017

Maxwell was unbeaten on 25 off 17 balls while middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb was not out on 16 off 14 deliveries. Australia lost their first wicket in the fifth over when vice captain David Warner tried to pull and clear the boundary against left-arm pacer Mustrafizur Rahman only to be caught at the boundary line by Soumya Sarkar. Left-arm spinners Taijul Islam and Shakib al Hasan picked up the wickets of captain Steve Smith (16) and Matthew Renshaw (22) respectively when Australia still needed 41 for victory.

115 years: ?*10: Nathan Lyon becomes the FIRST AUSTRALIAN OFF-SPINNER to have two ten-wicket hauls. This is also his first in Asia. #BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/AxTPHcR57X— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 7, 2017

But a late Maxwell cameo ensured that there would be no more collapses in the end as Australia clinched victory by chasing down the relatively small target quite comfortably. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon finished the match taking 13 wickets conceding 154 and was adjudged man of the match. Warner and Lyon were named man of the series jointly.

The Player of the Series award is shared between @davidwarner31 and @NathLyon421! #BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/jhLZ1H2ObH

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 7, 2017

Warner scored 251 in four innings while Lyon took 22 wickets in the same number of innings. Earlier, Bangladesh drew first blood when they took the last wicket of Australia with the scoreboard reading 377. Australia in the process took a 72-run first innings lead.

With figures of 12-150, this is a new career-best in Test cricket for @NathLyon421 ? #BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/TNCPk8sPli— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 7, 2017

Bangladesh’s start in their second innings was not upto the mark as they lost opener Soumya (nine) in the fifth over. Soumya tried to play an incoming delivery from paceman Pat Cummins and with less foot movement only managed an edge that was caught at second slip easily by Renshaw. In-form opener Tamim Iqbal (12) was then stumped by wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, who was sharp throughout the match, and that dismissal pegged Bangladesh back.

Nathan Lyon is 29 years old. When Richie Benaud was the same age he only had 120 test wickets. Do your maths.

— Rodney Hogg (@RMHogg) September 7, 2017

Surprisingly, Bangladesh promoted Nasir Hossain (five) to No 4 but that move did not click as the right-hander also got out before lunch by giving a catch to first slip against left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe. In the meantime, Bangladesh also lost No 3 batsman Imrul Kayes (15) and Shakib (two) very quickly and suddenly, the home side were shockingly on the verge of an innings defeat as they were tottering on 43/5 and still needed 29 more to make Australia bat again. Thanks to No 7 batsman Sabbir Rahman and captain Mushfiqur Rahim, that didn’t happen, as they formed some sort of resistance, putting on 54 for the sixth wicket.

A five-for for Nathan Lyon in three consecutive inns in Tests. Last Australian spinner to achieve this feat was Shane Warne in 2004 #BanvAus— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 7, 2017

But Australia took Sabbir’s wicket quickly after lunch as he was stumped by another sharp reflex action from Wade. Left-hander Mominul Haque then came at No 8 for Bangladesh and formed a 32-run partnership with Mushfiq. Mushfiq’s resistance came to an end in the 53rd over.

To @davidwarner31 & @NathLyon421 .. just a brilliant performance! ?????? And to Oz Selectors to pick a team that suited to Asian conditions!

— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) September 7, 2017

It was a beautiful delivery form Cummins as it kissed Mushfiq’s bat and Wade did the rest. Mominul (29) and youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz (14 not out) scored some late runs to help Bangladesh post 157 in their second innings. Lyon once again was the main destroyer as he took six for 60 while Cummins and O’Keefe took two each.

Back-to-back hundreds in Bangladesh for David Warner. That's his 20th in Test cricket.#BANvAUS pic.twitter.com/NZPyCDdxrZ— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) September 6, 2017

It was a poor batting performance from the Tigers as they probably fell 100 short of a challenging total. But actually, the first innings batting was key behind the Tigers’ loss as they managed to post only 305 on a relatively fresh day one pitch. In the end, it was an eventful series for Bangladesh as they played a Test against Australia after a long gap of 11 years.BRIEF SCOREBangladesh 305 in 113.2 overs (Mushfiq 68, Lyon 7/94) & 157 in 71.2 overs (Mushfiq 31, Lyon 6/60) lost to Australia 377/9 in 119.5 overs (Warner 123, Handscomb 82) & 87/3 in 15.3 overs (Maxwell 25*, Renshaw 22) by seven wickets