Tempers flared on the second day of the first Test in Darwin as Australia's Mitchell Starc and Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz engaged in a heated exchange over the protected area of the pitch.

The flashpoint

The incident unfolded during Starc's 21st over, the 103rd of Bangladesh's innings. Miraz hit the ball towards point and set off for a single, but while following the ball appeared to run through the vulnerable central strip of the pitch, prompting umpire Kumar Dharmasena to intervene before the run was completed.

Miraz explained that he had not seen Starc because his attention was on the ball, but the Australian fast bowler was unimpressed. "It's my follow-through, now your follow-through. Get off the wicket," Starc could be heard saying, pointing at the right-hander.

"I can't see, I can't see. I didn't see," Miraz countered in his explanation to Dharmasena. As Starc walked back to his mark, he was again heard to say: "You're not in Bangladesh now, hey?"

Ponting's verdict

Former Australia captain and Channel 7 commentator Ricky Ponting felt Miraz had not deliberately run through the protected area. "Yeah, I'm not sure that was on purpose," Ponting said. "By the time he looked up, Starc was in his way and he just opted to go the centre of the wicket side of the fast bowler."

Batters, like bowlers, are expected to avoid the protected central area of the pitch, and both sets of players are warned to steer clear of it during their follow-through and running between the wickets respectively.

Bangladesh in command

Despite the flashpoint, Bangladesh ended Day 2 firmly in control, reaching 6-351 and taking a commanding 153-run first-innings lead with four wickets still in hand. Miraz was unbeaten on 32, while Hasan Mahmud was 13 not out from 76 balls, having taken six wickets on the opening day.

Tanzid Hasan, playing only his second Test, scored 101 to put Bangladesh in a position to push for what could become their biggest win in Test cricket.