‘The game is far from over’

Shoriful Islam may have produced the performance of his Test career, but the Bangladesh pacer insists the job is only half done. After taking a maiden Test five-wicket haul and finishing with career-best figures of 6-35, Shoriful said the dressing room still believes Bangladesh can turn the second Test around despite being bowled out for just 64 in their first innings.

“The message in the dressing room was that the game is far from over and our turn to bowl is coming up,” Shoriful said after the day's play.

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“We are still well in the game. InshaAllah, we will try to make sure the entire second innings belongs to us.”

His spell kept that belief alive.

Returning from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the first Test, Shoriful struck twice in his first over to remove Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne before dismissing Steven Smith, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

Australia finished on 165 for eight, giving them a 101-run lead.

For Shoriful, however, the six-for was secondary to the result.

“Alhamdulillah, everyone feels good getting their first five-for,” he said. “But I’ll feel best if we win the match, because we lost that previous one. I’m not overthinking or excessively celebrating just because I got five wickets. If we win the match, I'll be very happy.”

The 25-year-old said the conditions remained helpful to fast bowlers, with the wind also playing a role.

“We were bowling from that end where the wind was against us, which helped the ball swing a bit more,” he said.

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That movement had earlier proved Bangladesh's undoing. Mitchell Starc also took 6-12 as the Tigers were bowled out for their fourth-lowest Test total.

“With the new ball, it was consistently swinging for quite a long time, around 15 to 20 overs. They capitalized on that advantage,” Shoriful said. “In the next innings, our batters will try to cover that up.”

Shoriful, who top-scored for Bangladesh with 14 from No. 11, refused to read too much into the collapse.

“It was just a bad day for us. Not just for us. Look at them, they are struggling too. Insha'Allah, we will bounce back strongly in the next innings.”