DARWIN: Opener Tanzid Hasan became the first Bangladesh cricketer to score a Test century in Aust­ralia on Friday as the South Asian side dominated another day in Darwin to carve out a 153-run first-innings lead over the stunned hosts.

The 25-year-old lefthander’s stylish 101 off 197 balls in his second Test drove Bangladesh toward 351 for six at stumps on day two at sun-bathed Marrara Oval.

Beaten in five consecutive sessions in stifling heat, Australia rallied in the sixth after tea, taking three quick wickets with the second new ball.

But all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (32 not out) and tailender Hasan Mahmud (13) wrested back the momentum with a patient 43-run stand for the seventh wicket to leave Australia flat after a long day in the field.

Adding to the hosts’ frustrations, Cameron Green dropped a low chance in the gully on the last ball of the day from Marnus Labus­chagne, reprieving Miraz on 32.

There is plenty of cricket to play on a good wicket for batting but Bangladesh are in the box seat, largely on the back of Tanzid’s work.

Although a seasoned international in white-ball cricket, Tanzid only made his Test debut in May as Bangladesh beat Pakistan in Sylhet to sweep their home Test series 2-0.

He was dropped after making 30 runs in that match but has taken his second chance with both hands in Australia’s tropical north.

“This is very special for me because this is the first time I am here,” he said on the ground during tea. “I was trying to play normal cricket and keep calm.” Anchoring a 102-run partnership with number three Mominul Haque (49) and a 93-run stand with number four Najmul Hossain Shanto (84), Tanzid struck eight fours and smashed seam-bowling all-rounder Beau Webster over his head for six.

After a nervous phase on 99, he grabbed a single off spinner Nathan Lyon’s last ball before drinks in the middle session, and bounded down the wicket with a celebratory leap and fist-pump.

MISSED CHANCES

Bangladesh resumed on 96 for one in the morning, having bowled out Australia out for 198 on day one after home captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat.

“They batted really well, obviously. We obviously missed a few ch­a­nces, too. But credit to them,” said Australia opener Jake Weatherald.

“The wicket’s changed a lot from our first innings compared to today. So we’re excited to get out there. We think it looks like a really good track to bat on now.”

Josh Hazlewood took Australia’s sole wicket in the first session, having Haque caught behind to deny the number three a half-century.

Tanzid was the only wicket to fall in the second session when he attacked Lyon and miscued a slog to a running Mitchell Starc at long-off.

Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim dug in for a 66-run stand before the Bangladesh captain edged Hazlewood to Steve Smith in the slips, triggering a mini-collapse.

Smith completed a hat-trick of slips catches as wicketkeeper-batsman Litton Das nicked Starc to be out for a duck before Mushfiqur (36) edged Cummins.

Smith’s third catch drew him level with Joe Root on a record 218 in Tests for non-wicket-keeping fielders.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 198 (S. Smith 71; Hasan Mahmud 6-55)

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 96-1):

Shadman Islam c Lyon b Starc 20

Tanzid Hasan c Starc b Lyon 101

Mominul Haque c Carey b Hazlewood 49

Najmul Hossain c Smith b Hazlewood 84

Mushfiqur Rahim c Smith b Cummins 36

Litton Das c Smith b Starc 0

Mehidy Hasan Miraz not out 32

Hasan Mahmud not out 13

EXTRAS (B-6, LB-6, NB-4) 16

TOTAL (for six wickets, 110 overs) 351

STILL TO BAT: Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-36 (Shadman), 2-138 (Mominul), 3-231 (Tanzid), 4-297 (Najmul), 5-306 (Litton), 6-308 (Mushfiqur)

BOWLING: Starc 21-2-68-2 (1nb), Hazlewood 20-3-68-2 (3nb), Green 8-2-26-0, Cummins 20-3-50-1, Lyon 25-1-92-1, Webster 10-1-28-0, Head 2-0-3-0, Labuschagne 4-1-4-0

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2026