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| April 13, 2006 | Thursday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1427 |
Australia hit back after Bangladesh batting collapse
FATULLAH (Bangladesh), April 12: Australia, chasing 307 to win, closed in on an extraordinary comeback victory by reaching 212 for four at the close of the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh on Wednesday.
After dominating the first two days, the hosts lost their last five wickets for 24 runs after resuming at 124 for five in their second innings.
Half centuries by Matthew Hayden (72) and skipper Ricky Ponting guided Australia towards victory before three late wickets gave Bangladesh, the lowest-ranked Test side, renewed hope of a shock win over the best team in world cricket.
Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, a century-maker in the first innings, were not out on 72 and six respectively at the close.
Bangladesh lost their two previous tests against Australia in 2003 by an innings. They have won only one of their 42 Tests since 2000, that victory coming over a depleted Zimbabwe side.
Bangladesh scored 427 in their first innings. A brilliant 144 by Gilchrist helped Australia recover to 269 in reply and their bowlers returned to form to rip through the Bangladesh batting in the hosts' second knock.
Seamer Jason Gillespie bowled Khaled Mashud for nought in the second over of the day.
Leg-spinner Shane Warne chipped in with three wickets after a barren first innings, removing Mohammad Rafique (14) and Mashrafe Mortaza with consecutive deliveries before Shahadat Hossain survived the hat trick delivery.
Rajin Saleh was caught by Hayden off Gillespie for 33 and Warne trapped Haque lbw for nought to wrap up the innings. Warne ended with 3-28 and Gillespie 3-18 off 11 overs.
Hayden faced 152 balls, hitting one six and eight boundaries, before he was run out by a direct hit by Enamul Haque Jr in the last session, ending a 109-run partnership with Ponting.
Enamul also got the breakthrough, bowling Mike Hussey for 37 before tea when the visitors were on the attack.
Spinner Mohammad Rafique, who took five for 62 in the first innings, bowled Damien Martyn for seven and then removed Michael Clarke for nine, caught behind by keeper Khaled Mashud.
Ponting has faced 169 balls and hit seven boundaries.
On Tuesday, Australia avoided the follow-on thanks to Gilchrist who batted superbly with the tail-enders to take his side from 93-6 to within 160 runs of Bangladesh's total. The left-hander hit six sixes and 14 fours.
Resuming at 145 for six, Australia lost Brett Lee in the morning session lbw to Mashrafe for 15 before Gillespie gave Gilchrist good support.
Rafique eventually had Gilchrist caught by Shahadat at deep square leg. The spinner captured the three wickets to fall after lunch, removing Gillespie (26) and Stuart Clark (0) for his seventh test five-wicket haul (5-62).
When Bangladesh batted, first innings centurion Shahriar Nafees was bowled by Lee on 33 with the score on 48.
Fellow opener Javed Omar (18) was quickly caught behind by Gilchrist off Gillespie to start a mini-collapse.
Skipper Habibul Bashar was run out for seven by a direct throw from Michael Clarke and Mohammad Ashraful (4) was the next to go when he was trapped lbw by Stuart Clark.
Aftab Ahmed was trapped lbw by Stuart MacGill for 17.
Scoreboard
BANGLADESH (1st Innings 427 (Shahriar Nafees 138, Habibul Bashar 76, Rajin Saleh 67; S.C.G. MacGill 8-108).
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, (overnight from Monday 145-6):
M.L. Hayden lbw b Mashrafe 6
M.E.K. Hussey b Rafique 23
R.T. Ponting lbw b Shahadat 21
D.R. Martyn b Rafique 4
M.J. Clarke b Enamul 19
A.C. Gilchrist c Shahadat b Rafique 144
S. K.Warne c Mashud b Enamul 6
B. Lee lbw b Mashrafe 15
J.N. Gillespie b Rafique 26
S. R.Clark lbw b Rafique 0
S.C.G. MacGill not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-1) 5
TOTAL (all out, 95.2 overs) 269
FALL OF WKTS: 1-6, 2-43, 3-50, 4-61, 5-79, 6-93, 7-156, 8-229, 9-268.
BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 22-3-56-2; Shahriar Hossain 14-2-48-1; Mohammad Rafique 32.2-9-62-5; Enamul Haque Jr 25-4-83-2 (1nb); Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-11-0; Rajin Saleh 1-0-5-0.
BANGLADESH (2nd Innings, overnight 124-5):
Javed Omar c Gilchrist b Gillespie 18
Shahriar Nafees b Lee 33
Habibul Bashar run out 7
Rajin Saleh c Hayden b Gillespie 33
Mohammad Ashraful lbw b Clark 4
Aftab Ahmed lbw b MacGill 17
Khaled Mashud b Gillespie 0
Mohammad Rafique lbw b Warne 14
Mashrafe Mortaza b Warne 0
Shahadat Hossain not out 1
Enamul Haque Jr lbw b Warne 0
EXTRAS (B-10, LB-7, NB-4) 21
TOTAL (all out, 50 overs) 148
FALL OF WKTS: 1-48, 2-58, 3-66, 4-77, 5-124, 6-128, 7-147, 8-147, 9-147.
BOWLING: Lee 8-1-47-1 (2nb); Gillespie 11-4-18-3 (1nb); MacGill 13-4-30-1; Clark 4-2-8-1 (1nb); Warne 13-4-28-3; Clarke 1-1-0-0.
AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings):
M.L. Hayden run out 72
M.E.K. Hussey b Enamul 37
R.T. Ponting not out 72
D.R. Martyn b Rafique 7
M.J. Clarke c Mashud b Rafique 9
A.C. Gilchrist not out 6
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, NB-1) 9
TOTAL (for four wkts, 74 overs) 212
FALL OF WKTS: 1-64, 2-173, 3-183, 4-205.
BOWLING (to-date): Mashrafe Mortaza 13-4-27-0; Shahriar Hossain 15-5-48-0; Mohammad Rafique 25-3-68-2; Enamul Haque Jr 21-4-61-1 (1nb).—Reuters
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