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Hasan puts Bangladesh in charge as Australia struggle to 183-8 / Photo: William WEST - AFP
Hasan puts Bangladesh in charge as Australia struggle to 183-8
Hasan Mahmud took four wickets as Australia struggled to 183-8 at tea on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin on Thursday.
Hasan took 4-49 while fellow quicks Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain had two wickets apiece in an impressive display of line and length bowling.
After resuming the second session at 74-4, Steve Smith was on 67 at the tea break, the only Australian to show any resistance.
Nathan Lyon, who was yet to score, was alongside him.
After Pat Cummins chose to bat, a full-strength Australia were expected to dominate their Bangladeshi opponents, who were well beaten by a Cricket Australia XI in their only warm-up match.
But the three quicks bowled with impressive control to keep the pressure on the Australian batters.
Hasan, who troubled openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald in his opening spell, made the initial breakthrough in the 12th over with the score on 45.
Weatherald, on 23, had a huge swipe at a ball outside off stump and only managed a thick edge to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
Hasan struck again soon after, Head chopping on for 22 to leave Australia 52-2.
Bangladesh then saw a huge opportunity go begging when Smith, on two, edged Ebadot to third slip where Tanzid Hasan spilled the chance.
Smith had a second escape next over when he got a thick edge off Taskin only for the ball to fly through a vacant third slip.
Marnus Labuschagne, on one, wasn't so fortunate.
He poked at an Ebadot ball outside off stump and edged to Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto at second slip, leaving Australia 61-3.
Cameron Green came in and played some big shots before chipping Taskin to short midwicket, where Mushfiqur Rahim took an easy catch.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey looked in good touch after lunch and cruised to 19 until he played on to Ebadot with the score on 129.
Taskin then produced the ball of the day to beat Beau Webster's bat and clip the top of off stump to leave the home side struggling on 152-6.
Cummins tried to steer the hosts to tea without further loss, however Shanto brought Hasan back into the attack with immediate success, the Australian skipper getting a big edge to Litton.
Hasan got his fourth in the same fashion, Mitchell Starc getting a thin edge to the keeper with the score on 172.
P.Roux--PS
