Bangladesh lead by 248 at tea

Sports Desk Published: 29 August 2017, 06:38 AM | Updated: 29 August 2017, 09:00 AM
Bangladesh lead by 248 at tea

Australia have clawed their way back into the first Test with five wickets during the middle session on day three in Dhaka.

At tea, Bangladesh led by 248, with Mehedi Hasan (17) and Shafiul Islam (2) the not out batsmen and two wickets in hand.

Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan fell within minutes of each other shortly after lunch, before a fighting 43-run partnership between Sabbir and Mushfiqur Rahim dominated much of the session.

That was until Mushfiqur was unluckily dismissed, run-out at the non-striker's end for 41 when the ball clipped Nathan Lyon's fingers and went onto the stumps.

Tamim had made his way to 78, following on from a fine 71 in the first innings, when Pat Cummins bent his back and produced a snorter that looked on first inspection to have beaten the bat completely.

Several Australians detected a noise however, and Steve Smith referred the not out call, and was rewarded when snicko technology indicated ball had brushed glove.

Soon after, Shakib (five) attempted to loft Nathan Lyon over the off side, but instead skied the ball toward Cummins at cover, who took a good catch.

It was a third wicket of the innings for Lyon, who bowled superbly as his team was rocked by a side injury to Josh Hazlewood.

Australia are desperate to restrict the Tigers to as small a second-innings total as possible, with the pitch becoming increasingly difficult to bat on, and Lyon duly obliged with a pair of wickets in the first hour, trapping nightwatchman Taijul Islam (four) plumb in front before finding the edge of Imrul Kayes' bat, who was caught at slip by David Warner and exited for two.

Tamim hit three boundaries from the bowling of Cummins and registered a second half-century of the match to continue his strong form, but Australia's concerns grew when Hazlewood walked off the field with a side issue one ball into his second over of the morning.

It remains to be seen how serious the injury is, though a side strain would certainly spell the end of his involvement in this Test.

The Tigers' plucky skipper Mushfiqur looked in good touch almost from the moment he came to the middle, smashing Lyon delightfully over midwicket for a massive six before settling in for an extended stay in the middle.

He was unfortunate to come unstuck towards the end of the second session, and his wicket triggered a mini-collapse, with Nassir Hossain caught behind off Ashton Agar without scoring and Sabbir Rahman's cameo of 22 ending moments later when he was caught in close to give Lyon his fourth.