Shariful gives Bangladesh hope after batting collapse

McKay Test: Shariful gives Bangladesh hope after batting collapse


Bangladesh's innings unravelled in a nightmare start on the opening morning of the McKay Test. However, the Tigers fought back late in the day, relying once again on their pace bowling. Despite being bowled out for their fourth-lowest total in Test history, just 64 runs, Bangladesh did not allow Australia to take full control of the match. It was left-arm pacer Shariful Islam who kept Bangladesh in the fight. After scoring the team's highest of 14 runs with the bat, he took six wickets with the ball. Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took one wicket each. Australia ended the day on 165-8, leading by 101 runs.

After winning the toss and sending Bangladesh in to bat, Australia captain Pat Cummins proved his decision right immediately. Mitchell Starc dismissed Sadman Islam with the first ball of the match, edging to Cameron Green in the slips. The opener departed for a golden duck.

In the very next over, Starc also dismissed Tanjid Hasan Tamim, the centurion from the Darwin Test, for a duck. Nazmul Hossain Shanto could not survive either. He was given out LBW after being struck on the pad by a delivery angling down the leg side. A review did not save the Bangladesh captain, with the decision upheld due to umpire's call.

Mominul Haque (9 off 16) became Starc's third victim. Litton Das survived a dropped catch at slip but was dismissed LBW on the very next ball. Australia successfully reviewed the decision. After losing five wickets for just 12 runs, Bangladesh eventually managed some resistance through a 25-run stand between Shariful Islam and Taijul Islam.

Shariful top-scored for Bangladesh with 14, while Taijul remained unbeaten on 11. Starc finished with figures of 6 for 12, while Cummins took three wickets and Hazlewood one.

Australia's reply did not start well either. Taskin Ahmed struck first by dismissing Matt Renshaw. Shariful then put the hosts under pressure by removing Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne.

Steve Smith and Cameron Green's 77-run partnership put Bangladesh under pressure again. Shariful broke the stand by dismissing Smith, and after Miraz removed Alex Carey, Shariful struck again. He dismissed Beau Webster LBW and Pat Cummins caught off a bouncer, taking three wickets in just six balls. This was the left-arm pacer's first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He later removed Mitchell Starc to take his tally to six.

At stumps, Australia were 151-9 in 35 overs, leading by 87 runs. Despite being bowled out for just 64, Bangladesh have managed to keep Australia's lead from ballooning, thanks to Shariful's exceptional bowling.

With Starc's six wickets on one side and Shariful's six on the other, the McKay Test has been set alight on the first day by two left-arm pacers. With Australia having just one wicket in hand, Bangladesh's aim on the second day will be to take it quickly and keep the hosts' lead as low as possible.