Darwin (Australia) (AFP) – Spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took the key wicket of Steve Smith to reduce Australia to 161-4 after the third day of the first Test in Darwin on Saturday and move Bangladesh closer to a historic upset.
Issued on: 15/08/2026 - 11:58
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At stumps Australia trailed by 67 runs in their second innings, with Cameron Green on 43 and Alex Carey 19.After being dismissed for 426 shortly after lunch, Bangladesh seamer Hasan Mahmud stunned Australia when he claimed both openers cheaply. Hasan, who took a career-best 6-55 in the first innings, bowled Jake Weatherald (0) and Travis Head (17) in identical fashion, both chopping on to their stumps.On a good batting strip, Marnus Labuschagne and Smith initially steadied the ship.Labuschagne, who has been out of form and seen his place in the team increasingly come into question, eased to 31 before playing over the top of a straight ball from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and being bowled.Smith, so often Australia's saviour, batted sensibly but with the score on 122 he got a leading edge to off-spinner Mehidy and chipped it straight back to the bowler, gone for 44."The way we showed character and the way we played for the last two or three days was outstanding," visiting captain Najmul Hossain Shanto told Fox Sports."We are taking it session by session, focusing on the process and not the outcome."Earlier, Mehidy did the damage with the bat, scoring a valuable half-century in Bangladesh's first innings.After Bangladesh were well beaten by a Cricket Australia XI in their only warm-up match, many expected this Test to be an easy Australia victory.But the unfancied visitors bowled the hosts out for 198 on the first day and then showed great dedication with the bat to keep the home side in the field for 138 overs.Mehidy shielded the lower order brilliantly in the morning session to frustrate a tiring Australian attack.When he was finally dismissed for 65 by Josh Hazlewood shortly after lunch, he had helped put his team into a strong position halfway through the match.Bangladesh are attempting to win a Test in Australia for the first time, at the third attempt."It was pretty hard work out there on that track," Hazlewood told Fox.
