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17 hours ago
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Key events
25th over: Bangladesh 99-1 (Tanzid 34, Mominul 36) A surprise from Australia with their sixth choice bowler opening proceedings for the day, perhaps trying to catch Bangladesh by surprise, perhaps being introduced to facilitate a change of ends? Webster justifies his inclusion, beating the bat twice with beautiful deliveries that pitch just short of a length and seam away from the left-handed Tanzid. Searching for a fuller length Webster overpitches and Bangladesh chip away at the deficit.
Beau Webster is the unlikely opening bowler for Australia. Here we go…
The teams are making their way out to the middle of the NT MCG. A hot and humid day two will begin shortly.
The drier, more straw coloured pitch is expected to be more favourable for batting today after the green-tinged surface offered sideways movement and variable bounce on day one. There are some indentations in the surface caused by the new ball nibbling into the soft top which could lead to awkward corrugation as the match progresses.
It is hot and humid at Marrara Cricket Ground with temperatures peaking at around 33C.
Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the day. The address is [email protected].
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Welcome back to live OBO coverage of the first Test between Australia and Bangladesh from Darwin where Bangladesh will begin the second day 96-1 in reply to Australia’s first innings 198.
The opening day of this series has claims to being the best in the history of Bangladesh Test cricket. After losing the toss, a trio of diligent seam bowlers landed the ball repeatedly in the right areas and let the pitch do the rest. It wasn’t flashy, it didn’t rely on a squadron of mystery spinners, and it wasn’t accompanied by much hoopla. It was unexpected, and glorious to watch.
It was also the kind of jolt this most off-Broadway of series required.
Australia are at the start of a 12-month odyssey that includes side quests in South Africa and India, a sesquicentennial celebration, and an Ashes tour destined to bring the curtain down on a host of record breaking careers. Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay was supposed to be the equivalent of a couple of gentle looseners in an indoor net.
But in the space of 53 overs creeping doubts over the batting lineup took on an altogether more worrying tone.
The techniques of Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne are not currently up to scratch. The opener is nearly 32, playing his sixth Test, averaging just 22. First drop turned 32 recently and hasn’t struck a century since 2023, since when he’s averaged 25 from 22 matches. Ordinarily, the ruthless Australian system would have little tolerance for this kind of underperformance but selectors are not blessed with a wealth of alternatives.
Further down the order Cameron Green looks unconvincing in his role as the number five enforcer. Two 50-plus scores in his last 17 Tests suggests this is not an anomaly. At 27, Green is the youngest player in the XI and the only member of the team under 30.
The upshot is this Australia side relies enormously on Travis Head and Steve Smith. The latter held the first innings together, but should have been caught by second slip on two.
A feature of this Australian side under the leadership of Pat Cummins has been its ability to bounce back from poor sessions or days. A response can be expected today.
But even if the home side wrests control back in this match over the coming hours it will not eliminate the issues that will require addressing over the coming months.
