Bangladesh land first punch after 23-year absence

It took Bangladesh 23 years to earn the invite to play Test cricket again in Australia. And on their first day back from that hiatus, led by Hasan Mahmud's career-best return, they produced a commanding display with both bat and ball to firmly push the hosts onto the back foot at a packed Marrara Stadium in Darwin.

Courtesy Mahmud's 6 for 55, Australia were bundled out for 198 after electing to bat. To add to their woes, an unbeaten 60-run stand between Tanzid Tamim and Mominul Haque carried Bangladesh to 96 for 1 at stumps — a deficit of just 102 with nine wickets in hand.

Australia's 198 is their lowest Test total against Bangladesh, and also marked Bangladesh's best bowling performance against Australia in Test cricket. It was only the second time Bangladesh had dismissed all 10 opposition batters with pace bowlers in a Test innings, after the 2024 Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan.

Australia's morning collapse

Australia had made an assured start through Travis Head and debutant Jake Weatherald, who put on a 45-run stand in the morning session before Weatherald went chasing a delivery outside off and edged to the keeper. From there the innings unravelled. Mahmud came round the wicket and had Head play on to a nip-backer.

There was assistance for the pacers early on, but Australia's collapse owed as much to questionable shot selection as good bowling. Marnus Labuschagne went poking at a delivery outside off, and Cameron Green lost control of a flick, handing an easy catch to mid-wicket. By the end of the first session Australia were reduced to 74 for 4.

Smith fights, but the adventure backfires

For the first hour after lunch, Steve Smith and Alex Carey offered the composure Australia desperately needed. But the drinks break broke that momentum as Carey was cleaned up by Ebadot Hossain's nip-backer, and the downfall started yet again. The hosts refused to be tied down, and that proved counterproductive — Beau Webster was cleaned up by Taskin Ahmed, while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc departed poking at deliveries outside off.

Through all the departures, Smith remained Australia's sole dependable batter. Dropped in the slip cordon while on 2 and given another reprieve later, he marched along to 71, carrying the innings into the third session and giving the total a semblance of respectability. But he too departed uncharacteristically, going down the track to Mahmud and top-edging an attempted cut to offer the keeper an easy catch. Soon after, Mahmud collected his sixth wicket and folded up the innings.

Bangladesh reply without alarm

There was help for Australia's pacers to claw back, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood could not find the required discipline, often straying in line and going too full to offer Bangladesh's openers easy runs. Starc managed to nip one back and induce an edge off Shadman Islam for the only wicket of the day, with Lyon — who had earlier dropped Tamim — pouching the catch safely. But Mominul and Tamim showcased discipline and patience to take the team to stumps without any real threat.

Mahmud's quiet, disciplined way

Mahmud always smiles, and he keeps his celebration simple: a look up at the sky before hugging his teammates. It was no different after his dream spell. Aware that he does not have express pace, he relied instead on line and length, keeping his bowling simple. He bowled 44.6% of his deliveries on a good length and mixed full and back-of-length work with both conventional and wobble-seam bowling.

His stint in the county circuit with Kent leading into the series appears to have had a clear impact. "That was a pretty good experience for me, playing in England. I hope I will continue playing for Kent," he said. "I was in England playing county cricket and that is how I started. I find it very similar conditions in Australia and England. I just carry out those things. I got six wickets in England as well in Blackpool, so I just got the experience and brought it here, bowling with a bit of confidence."

He was particularly pleased with the wicket of Steve Smith. "The Smith wicket (was special), he couldn't quite read it. My instinct was in play that he was about to do something, I sent down a bouncer and he (got out)." He added: "For me, every wicket was special, the energy that we had throughout the day and the effort that we put in, I credit my teammates, the captain was there with his support, Alhamdulilah we could end the day well."

Sharing the field with Australia's legendary pace attack was a dream come true. "I have been following them since I was playing cricket. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Hazlewood are some of the best fast bowlers from Australia. I was pretty happy to see them in front of me and playing with them especially. It is a huge experience for me facing them," he said.

Former national left-arm spinner Enamul Haque, who was present in England during Mahmud's Kent stint, had this to say: "I have never seen any Bangladeshi cricketer treated so highly in the county circuit. It surely helps when you do well because you learn so many things and importantly how to bowl in seaming conditions."

Brief scores

Australia 198 (Steve Smith 71; Hasan Mahmud 6-55, Ebadot Hossain 2-39) lead Bangladesh 96/1 (Mominul Haque 35*, Tanzid Tamim 32*) by 102 runs.