History within reach in Darwin as Bangladesh corner Australia
Bangladesh tightened their grip on the Darwin Test on Saturday, putting themselves in a strong position to secure one of the biggest wins in their Test history.
After taking a 228-run first-innings lead, the Tigers reduced Australia to 161 for four at stumps on day three, leaving the hosts 67 runs ahead with two days remaining. While both teams remain in contention, Bangladesh are now in control after nine sessions of dominance.
Earlier in the day, resuming on 351 for six, Bangladesh extended their first innings to 426, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (65 off 154 balls) and the tail adding 75 crucial runs. Their bowlers then maintained pressure before Cameron Green (43 not out) and Alex Carey (19 not out) added an unbeaten 39-run stand for the fifth wicket to keep Australia’s hopes alive.
Mehidy remained cautious despite Bangladesh’s commanding position, stressing that the job was not finished.
“We are trying to bowl in the right areas because we know that every wicket is going to require hard work. From what we have seen, the wicket is not that easy, and the wickets we have taken have come after putting in a lot of effort,” Mehidy told reporters at the end of day’s play.
“If we can take another three or four wickets for these runs [the lead they have], it will make things easier for us.”
The all-rounder said Bangladesh’s performance was especially encouraging against a full-strength Australian side. “We all know that the team we are playing against is one of the best teams, and they are playing at their full strength. So, I am really happy that Bangladesh have created this kind of momentum,” he said.
“It is not over yet. There are still two more days to go.”
Reflecting on his 52.3 overs with the tail, Mehidy admitted it was a difficult task. “When I came in, I was just two when Mushfiq bhai was dismissed. So, I scored those runs mainly with the bowlers. It was a bit challenging,” he said.
Mehidy’s all-round contribution proved crucial, as he helped Bangladesh build a massive first-innings advantage before removing Steve Smith for 44 to maintain their control.
Australia, meanwhile, remained confident of a comeback. Josh Hazlewood, who took six wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings to become only the ninth Australian to claim 300 Test wickets, said his side could learn from Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling.
“Once that ball sort of loses that hardness, it doesn't tend to do too much,” Hazlewood said. “The way Bangladesh went about their bowling... it was pretty tight, they didn't give much away.”
He insisted Australia still believed victory was possible. “We're still, I think, 70 (67) behind. So, once we tick those off, hopefully we're still four down and we can start to build the pressure.”
The Tigers' triumph over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in 2022 and the West Indies’ stunning Brisbane victory over Australia in 2024 remain among the defining Test upsets of the modern era. Now Bangladesh have the chance to add another chapter to that history.
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