In the tropical heat of Australia’s far northern city of Darwin, Bangladesh’s cricket team has built a commanding position against the host nation in the opening match of their two-test ‘Top End’ series, with rising batting star Tanzid Hasan leading the charge with an unbeaten half-century at the lunch break on Day 2.
Bangladesh, which had restricted Australia to a first-innings total of just 198 all out on opening day, resumed play on Friday morning at 96 for one wicket, still trailing the hosts by 102 runs on first innings. Over the next three hours of the morning session, Hasan and his batting partners added a steady 85 runs to the total, losing only one wicket against Australia’s full-strength, world-renowned pace attack, leaving the visitors at 181 for two at the interval.
The standout performance of the session came from 22-year-old Tanzid, who has now faced 144 balls to notch an unbeaten 74. The innings, which includes six fours and one towering six, marked the young opener’s maiden half-century in just his second appearance in test cricket, the sport’s longest and most prestigious format. He first shared a century stand of 102 runs with veteran batsman Mominul Haque, who compiled a patient 49 from 95 deliveries, hitting eight boundaries along the way. Mominul was just one well-timed shot away from claiming his 29th test half-century when he flashed at a wide delivery from star Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood, edging the ball through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey to be caught behind, breaking the 102-run partnership.
After the loss of Mominul at 138 for two, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanton joined Tanzid in the middle, and the pair added an unbeaten 43 runs before lunch. Shanton has so far scored 28 runs from 40 deliveries, with three boundaries, giving the visitors a solid platform to build on when play resumes after the break.
The solid performance from Bangladesh’s batters follows a stunning display from their bowling attack on Day 1, which overshadowed the highly anticipated reunion of Australia’s legendary ‘Big Four’ bowling unit – pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, and veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon. This series marks Bangladesh’s first test match played on Australian soil since 2003, and pace bowler Hasan Mahmud delivered a career-best performance, taking six wickets for 55 runs to bundle Australia out for 198 in just 53 overs.
For the hosts, the opening test of the series kicks off a grueling 12-month schedule that will see Australia play 20 test matches, including away tours to South Africa, India and England. After years of test cricket being disrupted by global events, the 20-test year underlines the heavy fixture demand facing the world’s top cricket sides in the current international calendar.