(ESPNCRICINFO) – TANZID Hasan’s first Test century led Bangladesh to a second day of domination over Australia in the Darwin Test. At stumps on day two, Bangladesh was 351 for 6 with a lead of 153 runs. It was the perfect follow-up to their bowling effort on the first day, when they shot Australia out for 198.
Playing only his second Test, Tanzid curtailed his usual big-hitting ways from white-ball cricket to bat patiently for more than five hours. He drove the ball well, striking eight fours and a six in his 197-ball stay. But Bangladesh has reached where they have because of a series of good partnerships.
Tanzid added 102 for the second wicket with Mominul Haque before adding 93 for the third with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Bangladesh also got a 66-run stand out of Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim before Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud, the Nos. 7 and 8, got them to stumps with an unbroken 43-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Crucially, Mahmud and Mehidy batted together for 24.3 overs after Australia had fought back with the second new ball, their three big quicks taking a wicket each in the space of 4.5 overs. Steven Smith took all three catches at second slip, taking him level with Joe Root with the most catches in Test cricket for non-wicketkeepers.
The second new ball was taken as soon as it became available, Australia desperate to change things around after toiling for the first two sessions. Josh Hazlewood removed Shanto for 84 when he chased a good delivery outside off stump. Shanto made 84 off 126 balls with seven fours and a six, a strong knock from a batter who would be disappointed at failing to convert it into his tenth century.
Litton Das fell for a duck when Mitchell Starc got him to edge an away-going delivery. And Mushfiqur followed next over, Pat Cummins leaving him in two minds to leave or play at one outside off, and Mushfiqur eventually edging to Smith.
That would have given Australia hope of running through the rest of the order, but they couldn’t break through after those three wickets.
Mehidy and Mahmud defended stoutly for more than an hour, focusing initially on seeing the shine off the new ball before hitting a few crisp drives to push along Bangladesh’s lead. By the end of the day, that had reached 153.
Tanzid and Mominul had earlier set up the day for Bangladesh. They left more than they played at, showing great discipline to blunt the attack. The left-hand pair struck just three fours in the first hour, before Tanzid blasted Beau Webster for six to bring up the century stand for the second wicket.
Mominul, though, fell in the next over, edging Hazlewood behind when just one short of a well-deserved half-century. During his 49, Mominul went past Tamim Iqbal to be Bangladesh’s second-highest run-getter in Tests.
Australia couldn’t really take advantage of that when Smtih dropped Tanzid on 62. The ball had ricocheted off wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s gloves and into Smith’s wrist before going down as Tanzid edged an attempted cut off Nathan Lyon. Tanzid himself had dropped Smith on the first day when he was on 2, and Smith went on to make 71. And Lyon had dropped Tanzid on the first evening before the batter had a run against his name.
