Australia on brink of historic defeat to Bangladesh as batting woes resurface

Australia will have to dig themselves out of a huge hole without their best batsman Steve Smith after Bangladesh kept their foot on the hosts’ throat in pursuit of an upset Test win in Darwin.

Under-pressure all-rounder Cameron Green, who was bailed out by a stroke of luck, was looking composed on an unbeaten 43 at stumps on day three, along with wicketkeeper Alex Carey (19 no), as Australia reached 161 for 4 in their second innings.

The hosts still trail by 67 runs after Bangladesh were dismissed for 426 just after lunch on Saturday.

Openers Jake Weatherald (0) and Travis Head (17) both chopped on to paceman Hasan Mahmud before tea. After the break Marnus Labuschagne (31) played all around a half-volley from spinner Taijul Islam. For a set batsman, it was a cardinal error.

Green, on 12, inside-edged Taskin Ahmed for four via his leg stump in a moment of good fortune. Replays showed the ball hit the outside of the stump but the bails stayed on.

The dismissal of Smith (44) was out of character in the extreme as he pushed an innocuous delivery from spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz straight back to the bowler.

Australia will have to rewrite the Test history books on home soil if they want to beat Bangladesh after the visitors took a first-innings lead of 228.

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy (65) and the tail took the total to 426 all out after lunch on Saturday.

Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood was the shining light with the ball, taking 6 for 89. The wicket of Mehidy was his 300th in Test cricket as he became the ninth Australian to reach the milestone.

The largest first-innings deficit Australia have come back from to win a Test on home soil was 206, when they trailed Pakistan at the SCG in 2010.

On that occasion Michael Hussey made an unbeaten 134 in the second innings and Australia bowled Pakistan out for 176 to win by 36 runs.

Australia’s woes were summed up before lunch on Saturday when No 10 batter Taskin hooked Pat Cummins for four with disdain. Next ball Smith dropped a sitter at deep backward square leg.

Head then spilled a skied pull shot off Mehidy, a difficult chance, to make it five dropped catches for the innings by Australia.

Mahmud (14) defied the bowlers for 92 deliveries after his brilliant 6 for 55 in the first innings in a show of batting application the Australians could well heed.

Spinner Taijul Islam (17) took a more aggressive approach, flipping Hazlewood over the square leg boundary before slashing the same bowler to gully, in a handy cameo.

Hazlewood vindicated his selection ahead of the unlucky Scott Boland and was the pick of the Aussie bowlers.

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