If Bangladesh had been offered this script before the first ball in Darwin, few would have believed it. Twenty-three years after Test cricket last visited the Northern Territory, Bangladesh returned to Marrara Cricket Stadium and produced a day that felt almost too good to be true.
Hasan Mahmud ripped through Australia with a career-best six-wicket haul, the hosts were bowled out for 198, and Bangladesh walked off at 96/1, having lost only Shadman Islam and leaving themselves just 102 runs behind. It was not simply a strong opening day. It was a reversal of history.
The last time Bangladesh and Australia met in a Test at this ground in 2003, Bangladesh ended the opening day staring at defeat. Twenty-three years later, with the same two sides bringing Test cricket back to the Northern Territory, Bangladesh finished the first day in control.
The stands at the 10,000-capacity Marrara Cricket Stadium were packed, as were the grassy mounds around the ground. The occasion was built for Australia. Instead, it became a celebration of Bangladesh’s pace attack.
Perhaps this was the dream everyone had imagined, Bangladesh bossing Australia on Australian soil. Few, however, would have expected to see it take shape from the very first day. Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain turned a green Marrara surface into their own territory, combining for all 22 overs in the opening session and reducing Australia to 74/4.
Hasan removed Jake Weatherald and Travis Head, before Ebadot had Marnus Labuschagne caught by captain Najmul Hossain at slip. Taskin then got Cameron Green, caught by Mushfiqur Rahim at short midwicket.
The damage continued after the break. Four more wickets fell in the second session, before the final two arrived after tea. Hasan completed his third five-wicket haul in Tests in the final session, removing Australia’s top scorer Steven Smith to finish with career-best figures of 6/55.
Smith survived a chance on two when Tanzid Hasan dropped him at slip, then carried Australia’s innings with 71 off 109 balls. He finally fell trying to attack Hasan down the wicket, with Australia bowled out for 198.
For only the second time, Bangladesh’s pace bowlers had taken all 10 wickets in an opposition innings.
“There was a bit of moisture in the wicket in the morning. It was soft and there was some seam movement,” Hasan said after stumps. “We planned to bowl very disciplined lines and lengths and bowl in partnerships, and that is what happened. Ebadot and Taskin bowled really well from one end, and ultimately we were able to build the pressure.”
In reply, opener Tanzid Hasan survived a scare on the final ball of the second over, skying a T20-style shot off Josh Hazlewood that Nathan Lyon failed to hold. Shadman Islam then went after Mitchell Starc with an aggressive drive off the very next ball.
Both openers eventually settled, but Shadman could not make it to stumps. In the ninth over, he failed to get proper contact on a 143.4kph delivery from Starc and was caught by Lyon at cover point for 20 off 30 balls. That was the only setback Bangladesh suffered.
Tanzid, who was on 32 at the time, carried on alongside the experienced Mominul Haque, and the pair added an unbeaten 60. Tanzid finished on 32* and Mominul on 35*, leaving Bangladesh at 96/1 at the close.
The numbers still showed Australia ahead by 102 runs. The mood, however, told a different story. And Hasan believes Bangladesh now have an opportunity to turn that dream start into something much bigger.
“The ending was good. If we talk about the batters, we had a very good start. Unfortunately, Shadman bhai could not finish it, but the partnership that is going on now is very good. If they can carry it forward, we can put together a big innings,” he said.
