A simple change, and Hasan Mahmud struck again. Just as he did in the first innings, the right-arm Bangladesh paceman removed both of Australia’s opening batters before the tea break.
Australia began their second innings 228 runs behind and, as in their previous innings, found themselves under pressure early in the second innings.
Mahmud made the breakthrough in the second over. Bowling around the wicket, he pitched the ball on middle stump before it moved away towards off stump. Jake Weatherald attempted to play it but got an inside edge onto his stumps. Australia lost their first wicket for four runs from just nine balls. Weatherald was dismissed for a duck.
Between eight and 10 overs, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto brought Ebadot Hossain into the attack in place of Mahmud. The brief break gave Mahmud time to reassess his approach.
He returned for another spell and made an immediate impact. This time, Travis Head was bowled through an inside edge by a delivery of a similar shape. Australia were 37 for two, with both openers dismissed by Mahmud.
Mahmud had also taken the wickets of Head and Weatherald in Australia’s first innings. Weatherald was caught behind, while Head was bowled by the Bangladesh paceman.
Ebadot was about to get a wicket before the tea break too. Steve Smith could have gone to the dressing room earlier. But he was lucky enough to avoid the nick. But umpire Kumar Dharmasena misjudged the connection of the bat with the ball and declared Smith out.
Even before Dharmasena raised his index finger, Smith went for the DRS. It showed the bat hit the ground when the ball was nowhere near the bat; Dharmasena had to review his decision. Smith survived for another session.
At tea, Australia went to the dressing room at 51/2, still trailing Bangladesh by 177 runs.
