Little known quick’s incredible haul rips apart Bangladesh in nightmare Test series prep

Australia’s bowling attack will be licking its lips ahead of next week’s first Test in Darwin as Bangladesh were knocked over for just 54 to lose their three-day tour game against a Cricket Australia XI by an innings and 38 runs.

Campbell Thompson was the chief destroyer with an eight-wicket haul as the 22-year-old left-arm quick finished with figures of 8/25 at Marrara Oval, which is not the same venue as Marrara Stadium that will host the Test match starting Thursday.

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Thompson, who debuted for South Australia last summer, took two wickets late on Friday before claiming six more on a rampant Saturday morning where Bangladesh lost eight wickets for only 35 runs.

Remarkably, Thompson has played just one Sheffield Shield game and two One-Day Cup matches in his young career, but had previously come up against international opposition for the Prime Minister’s XI against the England Lions last November.

“To clean it up this morning, I had a clear process - just try to use the new ball, swing it and hit the stumps - and I was lucky enough to get a few wickets,” Thompson said.

“The length we had to bowl in the second innings was probably a bit shorter than in the first innings - so just dragging it back a bit, hitting the top of the stumps, and (keeping those) clear processes was the main goal.

“I feel like I’m a new-ball bowler, so I’m just trying to swing the ball and hit the stumps, and I got lucky this time.”

Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan (22) was the only batter for the tourists to make double figures in their second innings.

West Australian off spinner Corey Rocchiccioli chipped in with two wickets to add to the six-wicket haul he took in the first innings.

While Teague Wyllie, who has swapped WA for Tasmania, gave the CA XI a 92-run first innings lead with his century on Friday.

“It was really nice to be able to contribute to the scoreboard and help put the guys in a very good position,” Wyllie said.

The 22-year-old finished on 130 from 177 balls and was well supported by his new state teammate Jake Doran.

The wicketkeeper batter made 76 as the CA XI’s No.6 and No.7 combined for 167-run partnership after skipper Kurtis Patterson made 53, while openers Sam Konstas (1) and Campbell Kellaway (0) fell early.

Wyllie burst onto the scene in 2022 as the youngest batter since Ricky Ponting to score a Shield century, but fell out of favour in his home state and opened the door for a move to Tasmania.

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The young batter had an offer on the table from WA, but waited to assess his options and the offer was removed when Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris were culled from Cricket Australia’s contract list.

After whether he had a point to prove in his first innings since his exit, Wyllie replied: “I try not to go too far into that. I try to focus on the next ball, that’s the most important thing for me.”

It was not all doom and gloom for Bangladesh as all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz cracked a century on day one with the No.7’s unbeaten 109 forming the cornerstone of the tourists’ first innings total of 263.

Pace bowler Hasan Mahmud took 4/42, with his wickets consisting of all of the CA XI’s top four.

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