Innings Bangladesh 426 (Tanzid 101, Shanto 84, Mehidy 65, Hazlewood 6-89) lead Australia 198 by 228 runs

Josh Hazlewood ended Mehidy Hasan Miraz‘s resistance after lunch before removing Ebadot Hossain to earn himself a six-for and finish the Bangladesh first innings in Darwin at 426, but not before Australia had conceded a 228-run lead.

Mehidy’s was the big wicket as he had held Australia up for nearly 50 overs with the lower-order batters for company, but Hazlewood didn’t waste much time after the break, reaching two personal milestones along the way too. He became the ninth Australia bowler to reach 300 Test wickets while also getting his 14th five-wicket haul. Hazlewood took all four wickets that fell on the third day.

Bangladesh, though, still have the upper in a Test match where they were expected to roll over, particularly after a Cricket Australia XI routed them in a tour game last week. Instead, Tanzid Hasan’s maiden Test century and fifties from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy added up to one of Bangladesh’s best overseas batting performances, which came on the back of a sterling bowling show led by Hasan Mahmud, who picked up a six-for of his own.

They frustrated Australia on the third morning with Mehidy reaching his twelfth half-century, later finishing the first session with a hooked six off Cameron Green. Mehidy found solid support from Nos. 8, 9 and 10, Mahmud, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed hanging about with plenty of defensive shots, leaves and the surprise big hits. Australia didn’t help themselves by dropping five catches in total, though, including two in a Pat Cummins over towards the end of the session – Steven Smith went first, dropping a sitter at deep-backward square-leg off Taskin, and Mehidy was then let off by Travis Head running back from midwicket.

They did start the day well when Hazlewood got Mahmud lbw after his 92-ball vigil which spanned two hours and 43 minutes, comfortably his longest Test innings. It was an invaluable contribution in a 46-run seventh-wicket stand with Mehidy, and was followed by Taijul sticking around for 23 balls before Hazlewood had him caught at gully. But not before Taijul had hit the bowler for a six over square-leg, bringing huge cheer from the Bangladesh dressing room where the ball landed.

Bangladesh kept ticking the boxes after that. Mehidy first brought up the fifty and then Bangladesh’s 200-run lead. It was the first time that they had taken such a big lead batting second in an overseas Test.