Flashback: When Bangladesh Almost Stunned The No.1 Australian Test Team

Aug 25, 2017 at 2:20 PM

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Flashback: When Bangladesh Almost Stunned The No.1 Australian Test Team

Bangladesh will play two match Test series, which will begin at the end of this August, against the mighty Australian team at home. Both the teams are very excited for their upcoming longer-format clash.

But before the beginning of the series, we are presenting an epic past Test clash between Bangladesh and Australia where the Asian team had almost stunned the no.1 Test ranked team Australia.

It was the Test match between the no.10 Test ranked team Bangladesh and the no.1 Test ranked Australia. It was less than one year later when Bangladesh had secured their first ever international cricket victory against Australia after snatching a historical 5-wicket win under the Habibul Bashar’s captaincy in an ODI game at Cardiff on the 18th June 2005.

 

About The Series

It was the two-match Test series between the hosts Bangladesh and Australia in April 2006. It was one of the very memorable Test series in the cricket history where Australian batsman Jason Gillespie (201*) had hit a double century as a night-watchman, which is also the highest individual score by a nightwatchman in a Test innings (2nd innings of the second Test of the series).

Jason Gillespie (Image Source: Getty Images)

However, here we are talking about the first Test of that series which had been played at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium (Fatullah).

 

The Squads

It was one of the best Australian Test squads ever. Even playing against a last ranked Test team, the no.1 Test ranked team mostly maintained their best XI for that longer-format away series. The players like Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne were in the squad along with the skipper Ricky Ponting, who were well experienced and regular player. The other inexperienced and/or irregular international players were also very talented like Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark and Stuart MacGill.

On the other hand, Bangladesh had experienced only one Test victory (out of 42 Tests) before that series. That victory was more than one year ago against Zimbabwe at Chittagong (in January 2005), where Bangladesh had tasted their first ever Test victory and that was by 226 runs. Under the leadership of Habibul Bashar, the home team had come out on the field with a great spirit for the series opener against Australia.

Bangladesh playing XI: Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Habibul Bashar (captain), Rajin Saleh, Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Khaled Mashud (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shahadat Hossain and Enamul Haque jnr.

Australia playing XI: Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Ricky Ponting (captain), Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist (wicketkeeper), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Stuart Clarke and Stuart MacGill.

 

The Match      

(Day 1)

Shahriar Nafees’ century put the hosts in a strong position

Hosts had a brilliant start of that series. After winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Habibul Bashar decided to bat first.

The top orders batted superbly. Left-handed opening batsman Shahriar Nafees hit a great century while no.3 batsman Habibul Bashar scored a half-century. Nafees put on a brilliant 187 runs partnership along with skipper Habibul Bashar for the 2nd wicket. Nafees was dismissed after scoring 138 runs while Bashar scored 76 runs.

Shahriar Nafees (Image Source: Getty Images)

 

Habibul Bashar (Image Source: Getty Images)

At the end of the day, Bangladesh was on 355/5 while Rajin Saleh was on the crease for 35 runs along with wicketkeeper-batsman Khaled Mashud.

Among the Australian bowlers, Stuart MacGill took 3 wickets while Jason Gillespie picked up 2 wickets. Leg-spinner Shane Warne was very expensive as his bowling figure was 20-1-112-0 with a 5.60 economy rate.

Shane Warne was very expensive on the opening day (Image Source: Getty Images)

Brief Scores: Bangladesh – 355/5

 

 

(Day 2)

Top-order collapse leave Australia in a tricky situation

Rajin completed his half-century and made 67 runs before his dismissal. But other Bangladeshi lower order batsmen did not spend much time on the crease as the hosts were bundled out for 427 runs.

Stuart MacGill ended with figures of 8/108 in his 33.3 overs (33.3-2-108-8).

Stuart MacGill (Image Source: Getty Images)

In reply, Australian top-order batsmen struggled heavily as the team fell on 93/6. Wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee fought remaining the day as Australia was on 145/6 at the stumps of the day.

Adam Gilchrist playing a shot (Image Source: Getty Images)

Mohammad Rafique and Enamul Haque jnr. picked up two wickets each while Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain claimed a wicket each.

Enamul Haque jnr. celebrating after dismissing Michael Clarke (Image Source: Getty Images)

Brief Scores: Bangladesh – 427

Australia – 145/6 (trailing by 282 runs)

 

(Day 3)

Gilchrist’s century and bowlers’ superb responses bring back Australian team into the game

Adam Gilchrist’s heroic century rescued the Australian team in their first innings as the no.1 Test team somehow managed to survive from the follow on. Gilchrist scored 144 runs off 212 balls before getting out at the end of the innings. The second highest scorer of that innings was no.9 batsman Jason Gillespie with 26 runs knock off 88 balls. Gilchrist put two back-to-back 50+ partnership for the 7th (63 runs) and 8th wicket (73 runs) along with Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie respectively, which helped the Australian team to put 269 runs on the board in their first innings.

Adam Gilchrist (Image Source: Getty Images)

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique bowled superbly as he claimed a 5-wicket haul in that innings. His final bowling figure in that innings was 32.2-9-62-5. Also, Mashrafe Mortaza and Enamul Haque jnr. took 2 wickets each while Shahadat Hossain picked up the only remaining wicket. Bangladesh took a healthy 158 runs lead at the end of the first innings clash.

Mohammad Rafique celebrates after dismissing Damien Martyn (Image Source: Getty Images)

In the second innings, Bangladesh batsmen failed to keep their momentum on. Openers Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees made a fine start as they made 48 runs partnership for the opening wicket, but the next batsmen failed to carry that innings. Regular wickets falling brought back the Australian team into the game. At the end of the day, Bangladesh was batting on 124/5 as their lead was still looking healthy of 282 runs.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh – 427 & 124/5 (leading by 282 runs)

Australia – 269

 

 

(Day 4)

Top-orders put Australian team into the driving seat  

The hosts’ lower order batting lineup faced a collapse as they were bowled out for just 148 runs in their second innings. Bangladesh team only managed to add 24 runs on that morning. Shahriar Nafees and Rajin Saleh were the highest scorers of that innings as they both scored 33 runs.

Image Source: Getty Images

Despite getting all-out cheaply in the second innings, Bangladesh put 307 runs target for Australia in the fourth innings.

Warne and Gillespie took the major responsibilities to bundle up the hosts cheaply in the second innings. Both of them grabbed 3 wickets (Jason Gillespie – 3/18 and Shane Warne – 3/28) each while Lee (1/47), MacGill (1/30) and Stuart Clark (1/8) picked up one wicket each.

Jason Gillespie celebrates after taking a wicket (Image Source: Getty Images)

Chasing a challenging target, Australian top-order batsmen responded huge better than their first innings. Openers Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey put a 64 runs partnership for the opening wicket while the second wicket stand was 109 runs between Hayden and skipper Ponting. Hussey was dismissed for 37 runs while Hayden was run out after scoring 72 runs.

Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting (Image Source: Getty Images)

 

At the stumps of the day, Australia was batting on 212/4. They still needed 95 more runs to win that encounter. Skipper Ponting remained unbeaten on 72 runs. Australia was looking great during that chasing but their last three wickets fell quickly which was raising a big headache for them.

Bangladesh team celebrates after Matthew Hayden run-out (Image Source: Getty Images)

Brief Scores: Bangladesh – 427 & 148

Australia – 269 & 212/4 (need 95 more runs to win)

 

(Day 5)

Skipper Ponting takes responsibility for safe victory with an unbeaten century

Regular wickets fall were keeping continuous pressure for the Australian team but the skipper Ricky Ponting calmly finished the game with a brilliant unbeaten century knock. Ponting remained unbeaten on 118 runs while Australia reached the target just beginning the second session of the final day after losing 7 wickets.

Ricky Ponting (Image Source: Getty Images)

At the beginning of that day, Australia lost two quick wickets as they went on 231/6. At next, Ponting put a 46-run partnership for the 7th wicket with Brett Lee who was dismissed on 29 runs. After that, Ponting put the remaining 30 runs partnership with Jason Gillespie for the 8th wicket while Gillespie remained unbeaten on just 4 runs.

Ricky Ponting and Jason Gillespie (Image Source: Getty Images)

Mohammad Rafique once again bowled superbly as his final bowling figure in that innings was 38-6-98-4. Also, Mortaza and Enamul picked up a wicket each but they just failed to ensure the victory as they were only three wickets away from their second Test victory. If Bangladesh would succeed to win that Test, then that would be one of the biggest upsets in the Test cricket history.

It was a thrilling Test match till the end (Image Source: Getty Images)

Adam Gilchrist was awarded the Player of the Match for his superb first innings century knock.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh – 427 & 148

Australia – 269 & 307/7

Result – Australia won by 3 wickets

Player of the match – Adam Gilchrist (Australia)

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