On the final delivery of an awfully long day in the field, Labuschagne induced a false stroke from the obdurate Miraz, who edged it to Green in the gully. Who dropped it. It may not have mattered, since it did appear that Marnus had overstepped. But it was that sort of day. Even Smith, of all people, dropped a catch from the luckless Lyon. Australia tried eight bowlers, including Marnus’ liquorice allsorts. Nothing much worked save for a small respite after tea in which Smith redeemed himself by pulling in three catches at second slip in the space of fifteen minutes. Before and after, the day belonged wholly to the visitors.
Hazlewood picked up Mominul edging behind before the sun was too high above the stands. But the pitch had lost its savour by now, and the ball was looking listless and apathetic. Australia toiled, and Tanzid and Shanto stood their ground, stoutly defending, and peeling off every available run. They had the whip-hand, they knew it, and would only relinquish it practically at gunpoint. Australia bowled well enough, considering the flat, slow wicket and their redoubtable adversaries. But Bangla Desh these days are not the timid underachievers of yesteryear. Phil Simmons has experienced a chequered history as a head coach. But he appears to have lit a fire in the hearts of these players. You want to beat us? Earn it!
At 2/230-odd Australian heads were drooping. Yet as Tanzid approached his century the first signs of nerves were becoming apparent. He has never made a Test century until now. Lyon induced a false stroke which deceived not only the batsman but the substitute outfielder. Having completed a brilliant hundred he holed out to Starc in the deep and Lyon finally got some reward for his toil. Shanto and Mushfiqur took the score to almost 300. But the new ball saw the local quicks suddenly rejuvenated, as though they had been granted a sudden draught of the Fountain of Youth. Starc’s working over of Litton Das (a top-class keeper/batsman) was a masterpiece of seam bowling. At 6/306 there was at least the glimmer of hope lurking near the sightscreen.
Miraz had other ideas. His partner Hasan has no pretensions to batting skill, but his defence was cast-iron and he repelled boarders until stumps. Miraz already has 32 to his name and looks hungry for more. Australia is up against it. Yet the pitch has gone to sleep, and if they can prise out the tail and cash in on a third-day wicket then hope still remains. But they are a long way behind in the match.