Bangladesh pace blitz puts Australia under early pressure

Bangladesh's bowlers outperformed Australia's returning Big Four on the opening day of the first Test at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin, bowling the hosts out for 198 on Thursday. Hasan Mahmud took a career-best 6-55 as Bangladesh's pace attack kept Australia's batting under pressure on a green-tinged pitch.

Australia won the toss and reached 45 without loss before Hasan struck in his sixth and seventh overs to remove openers Jake Weatherald for 23 and Travis Head for 22. Weatherald was caught after swiping at Hasan, while Head was bowled chopping a delivery from around the wicket onto his stumps.

Taskin Ahmed took 2-55 and Ebadot Hossain 2-39 as Bangladesh's fast bowlers used a consistent line and length to trouble Australia through the first two sessions. Bangladesh reduced Australia to 74-4 by lunch after Cameron Green was dismissed for 13, with Ebadot removing Marnus Labuschagne for one.

Steve Smith was Australia's main resistance, scoring 71 from 109 balls with seven fours and a six. He was the next-to-last batter dismissed, advancing at Hasan before top-edging a catch to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Hasan then dismissed Pat Cummins for nine and Mitchell Starc for one before completing his six-wicket haul with the wickets of Smith and Nathan Lyon.

Starc makes history in the same session

While Bangladesh were on top with the ball, Mitchell Starc was making history at the other end. Starc reached the landmark when he dismissed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam in the ninth over of the first innings, taking his Test tally to 434 and moving past Sri Lanka great Rangana Herath to become the most successful left-arm bowler in Test history.

The milestone also lifted Starc alongside India legend Kapil Dev on 434 wickets, achieved in 25 fewer Tests. Starc needs six more wickets to enter the top 10 of all-time Test wicket-takers, with Dale Steyn on 439 in 10th.

Bangladesh make inroads with the bat

Australia's bowlers managed only one Bangladesh wicket before stumps. Shadman Islam made 20 before edging Starc and being caught by Lyon at cover point, leaving Bangladesh at 36-1. Mominal Haque, on 35, and Tanzid Hasan, on 32, remained unbeaten at the close and shared a 60-run partnership, leaving Bangladesh 96-1, reducing the first-innings deficit to 102 runs.

"Excited to play in Australia," Hasan said of Bangladesh's first Test in Australia since 2003. "To get the opportunity to play in these conditions as well ... I just tried to maintain the process and just follow what the captain was saying."