Bangladesh Rock Australia in Darwin After 23 Years Away, Fast Bowlers Draw First Blood in Opening Test

Twenty-three years after their last Test in Australia, Bangladesh are back. And they haven't taken long to make themselves heard.

Australia chose to bat first in Darwin, hoping to ease into the opening Test of the two-match series. Instead, Bangladesh's fast bowlers found enough movement and bounce with the new ball to remove Jake Weatherald and Travis Head, putting the hosts under early pressure. Hasan Mahmud did the damage.

Weatherald, whose place in Australia's Test side was already under scrutiny heading into the series, made 23 before falling to Mahmud. Head followed for 22, leaving Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith with some early repair work to do. The Guardian, which is covering the Test live, reported that Ebadot Hossain also generated awkward bounce and repeatedly asked questions of Australia's batters.

For Bangladesh, it was precisely the kind of opening they needed. Because only days ago, the conversation around this Test looked very different.

From 54 All Out to Three Two Early Wickets

Bangladesh's preparations had ended with an alarming collapse against a Cricket Australia XI. After making 263 in their first innings, powered by a Mehidy Hasan Miraz century, they were bundled out for 54 in the second. Campbell Thompson ripped through the batting order with 8 for 25 as Bangladesh lost by an innings and 38 runs. And waiting for them in the actual Test were Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto knew exactly what the central challenge would be: Bounce.

Bangladesh had arrived in Darwin around 10-12 days before the Test to acclimatise, while Shanto said they had also spent months preparing on bouncier surfaces at home. The warm-up suggested there was still plenty of work to do. The opening exchanges of the Test have offered a more encouraging answer.

There is considerable history wrapped around Bangladesh's return. Their previous Test series in Australia came in 2003, when they played in Darwin and Cairns. Australia won both Tests comfortably. Bangladesh have changed considerably since then. They arrive this time sitting fourth in the World Test Championship standings after beating Pakistan 2-0 in May. They have also recently defeated Australia 2-1 in an ODI series at home. And they know what beating Australia in Test cricket feels like.

Bangladesh famously defeated them by 20 runs in Mirpur in 2017, although Australia came back to level that series. Winning here would be an altogether bigger achievement.

Australia Have Something to Prove Too

For Australia, Bangladesh represent the beginning of a formidable year rather than an isolated home series.

The Guardian reports that the team is embarking on a punishing 12-month stretch featuring at least 20 Tests, with far tougher assignments against South Africa, India and England to come. That makes Darwin an opportunity to settle a few questions before the degree of difficulty rises. One surrounds Weatherald. Australia backed the opener for this series despite an underwhelming run, but his early dismissal for 23 means the scrutiny is unlikely to disappear.

There is also considerable interest in how Cameron Green and Beau Webster fit together. Australia have opted to play both all-rounders, giving Cummins additional bowling options as the team manages the workloads of an ageing frontline attack. ESPNcricinfo noted before the Test that Webster does not view the arrangement as a direct competition with Green.

Cummins, Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon are also returning after injury issues, making workload management important as Australia's marathon Test calendar begins.

Bangladesh aren't the only ones making a comeback. Darwin is hosting Test cricket for the first time since 2004. That creates a neat piece of symmetry: Bangladesh's previous Australian tour also began here, in 2003. More than two decades later, the city has Test cricket again and Bangladesh have another opportunity to show just how far they have travelled.

The visitors arrived carrying the embarrassment of 54 all out. They walked onto the field knowing Australia's heavyweight batting order was waiting. Then Weatherald went. Then Head went. There are five days of Test cricket still to negotiate, and Australia remain formidable favourites. But after waiting 23 years for another chance in this country, Bangladesh have at least done the first thing they needed to do. They've made Australia uncomfortable.

(With inputs from yMedia)