Bangladesh claims historic first win in Australia with 9-wicket victory in 1st test
Bangladesh completed a stunning nine-wicket victory over Australia in the first test on Sunday, securing its first win on Australian soil and only its second victory over the top-ranked Australia.
After making a vital half-century in Bangladesh's first innings, Mehidy Hasan Miraz took five wickets in Australia's second innings to restrict the hosts to a lead of just 56 runs, before Australia was bowled out for 284 midway through the afternoon session at Darwin's Marrara Oval.
Cameron Green scored his third test century, and his first in Australia, making a composed 104 from 201 balls to lead Australia's resistance and give Bangladesh a modest target.
Bangladesh suffered some early nerves when Josh Hazlewood (1-5) dismissed first-innings centurion Tanzid Hasan for a duck, but Shadman Islam (25 not out) and Mominul Haque (30 not out) held their composure to chase down the target in 14.2 overs sparking wild celebrations within the contingent of Bangladesh fans seated behind the team's dugout on the boundary.
It was a thoroughly deserved result for Bangladesh, which had outplayed Australia for much of the test after home captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat.
Australia managed just 198 in its first innings, with Steve Smith top-scoring with 71, before Bangladesh capitalized as the pitch flattened to post 426 and take a commanding 228-run lead.
That advantage ultimately proved too much for Australia to overcome, despite Green's breakthrough century, as Bangladesh secured a historic victory, and only its second against Australia after its maiden win in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2017.
For Australia, this defeat will rank as one of its most humiliating home reverses in its 149-year test history with considerable pressure now on the team's selectors to make changes ahead of the second test in Mackay, Queensland state, starting Aug. 22.
Mehidy takes five
With the door still ajar for Australia at 161-4 at the start of Day 4 with Green and Alex Carey at the crease, Mehidy (5-66) firmly closed it with a superb spell either side of lunch to claim four more wickets, to accompany the huge wicket of Steve Smith late on Day 3 to turn the match decisively toward Bangladesh.
The offspinner picked up Alex Carey (30) with the wicketkeeper batter expertly caught behind by his counterpart Litton Das.
Mehidy then produced a superb delivery that straightened past the bat of Beau Webster (5) and clipped the top of off stump to have Australia at 6-193, still trailing by 35 runs and with the tail exposed.
Pat Cummins' (8) stay was brief as he offered a catch to Hasan Miraz at short leg to give Mehidy his third wicket of the morning.
Mehidy's deserved fifth was Nathan Lyon leg before wicket to end Australia's innings.
Green's defiance
Green was the only constant across Australia's innings and combined with the tail to help the hosts avoid the ignominy of a home innings defeat and frustrate Bangladesh.
The allrounder brought up a deserved century after lunch from 192 balls, with four boundaries and a six. His celebration was understated given the circumstances for his team, but should not detract from what his finest innings for Australia in his 37 matches, many of which have been accompanied by questions as to the merits of his selection in the team.
Green's vigil ended when a delivery from Hasan Mahmud (3-56) kept low and bowled Green for 104.
The two-test “Top End” series starts a heavy 12-month schedule for the Australians that will feature 20 test matches, including tours to South Africa, India and England.
(With inputs from PTI)
