Australia v Bangladesh live scores: Hosts aiming to bounce back from embarrassing first day in Darwin
After a first day in Darwin unexpectedly dominated by Bangladesh, Australia will be aiming to bounce back in the first Test at Darwin’s TIO Stadium. Follow all the action live!
Cricket: After a first day in Darwin unexpectedly dominated by Bangladesh, Australia will be aiming to bounce back in the first Test at Darwin’s TIO Stadium.
Australia managed a below-par total of 198 against the visitors’ unheralded bowling attack - and that would have been much worse if not for Steve Smith, who played a lone hand with 71.
Bangladesh steadied to 1-96 at stumps on the back of a 60-run second-wicket stand between Mominul Haque (35 not out) and Tanzid Hasan (32 not out), who easily dealt with a vaunted bowling attack.
Can Australia respond? Follow all the action live!
Josh Kempton is reporting live.
Desperate times
You would have to say that smacked of a bit of desparation.
Pat Cummins went for a review after a Mitchell Starc delivery down the leg side went past Tanzid Hasan, but it was not even close to the bat and instead flicked the pad.
BAN 1-115
Steady as she goes
Not everything has found the middle of the bat for Bangladesh this morning, but neither Mominul Haque (42 not out) nor Tanzid Hasan (44 not out) have offered any major chances.
Australia are in desperate need of a wicket here.
BAN 1-115
Another slow start
The first day of the new season has not been kind to Australia in recent years.
But, of course, they went on to win both the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Ashes.
BAN 1-111
Short stuff
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are turning to short balls with more regularity on the second day than they did on the first.
Fielders are in place at deep square leg and deep mid-wicket.
BAN 1-108
Merv’s take
Cam Green (13), Marnus Labuschagne (one) and Jake Weatherald (23) are all under the microscope after finding things tough yesterday.
But does Triple M Cricket’s Merv Hughes have a point here?
BAN 1-108
No early joy
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc both sent some balls past the outside edge of Bangladesh’s batters in their first overs.
Mominul Haque moved to 40 by clipping Cummins off his pads to the boundary.
BAN 1-105
Slug starts well
An interesting start, with Beau Webster drawing some plays-and-misses from Tanzid Hasan.
He operates at a similar pace to Bangladesh’s seam attack, who had a great time on a green wicket yesterday.
BAN 1-99
Day two underway!
Both sides are out in the middle in TIO Stadium and the second day is about to begin.
Surprisingly, Beau Webster will take up the attack for Australia, in a move that may be designed for a bowler to change ends.
BAN 1-96
Punter’s take
Ricky Ponting was not impressed with Australia’s “very, very poor day of Test cricket”.
“There was a challenging wicket, yes. Australia won the toss, elected to bat, but they’ve got to be better than 198,” he told Channel Seven’s coverage.
“Once again, I think we saw the frailties in technique with this top order. You know, we’re not asking guys to go out and get 100 or 200 out there, but we need our top order to find a way just to get 30 or 40. Keep your team in the contest. And once again, they weren’t good enough to do that yesterday.
“We were looking for some reinvention, some intent. And as you mentioned, those technique improvements from the top order, we got it from Steve Smith, of course, but not from the rest of the side.”
State of play
Bangladesh’s No.3 Mominul Haque (35 not out) and opener Tanzid Hasan (32 not out) will resume after compiling a 60-run second-wicket stand before stumps last night.
Tanzid did offer an early catching chance with an ill-advised attempt to loft Josh Hazlewood over the infield, but Nathan Lyon put down the skied opportunity at point.
