Tweet
TEST TOUR OF BANGLADESH
A fairly gentle introduction to the game with a two Test tour of Bangladesh. Australia are currently ranked 5th in the world and, with the Test Championship in England next year, will be desperate to perform against a Bangladesh side ranked 9th. The selectors have also taken the opportunity to look at some new faces ahead of the Indian tour of Australia in the summer, including four uncapped players in the 18-man squad.
Tim Paine continues to lead the side with Travis Head confirmed as his deputy. Limited overs spinner Adam Zampa will provide cover for Nathan Lyon while Ashton Agar will be looking to establish himself as a genuine all-rounder. Alex Carey provides cover for Tim Paine and also offers a middle order batting option, while 22-year old starlet Will Pucovski will hope for a chance after withdrawing from two previous squads. Michael Neser provides an interesting balance option as a seam bowling all-rounder who could allow the inclusion of a second frontline spinner.
--------------------------------------------------
FIRST TEST
11 June 2020, Chittagong
Team: Warner, Burns, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Paine*†, Agar, Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood
Australia 433 (Labuschagne 154, Agar 92, Islam 4/106) and 4/329 dec (Warner 145, Labuschagne 128) defeated Bangladesh 244 (Das 69, Hazlewood 3/22) and 349 (Iqbal 108, Hazlewood 3/52) by 169 runs
An excellent start to the career, with a dominant victory on the back of two strong batting performances. Ashton Agar was included to provide a second spin bowling option with Tim Paine moved up to number six. Paine won the toss and chose to bat in good conditions, but might have regretted that decision after both openers were dismissed cheaply. A 150-run partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith (154 and 64 respectively) put Australia into a decent position and, while new vice-captain Travis Head was dismissed for a duck, excellent contributions from Paine (62), Agar (92) and Pat Cummins (38) drove Australia to a strong first innings total of 433.
Bangladesh started well in reply with both openers passing 30 and number three Liton Das making an impressive 69 before a stunning catch from David Warner off Mitchell Starc ended his stay, but their lower order was unable to deal with the Australian attack. Starc and Cummins finished with two wickets each but Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 3/22.
Warner got Australia’s second innings off to a blistering start with a stunning 145 from 123 balls. He was well supported by Labuschagne who made 128 - his second hundred for the match. Australia eventually declared after tea on day four at 4/329 setting Bangladesh 518 for the win.
Star opening batsman Tamim Iqbal drove Bangladesh to a credible 349 with a brilliant 108 before Lyon trapped him in front. Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and were unable to form any partnerships, with Australia eventually winning by 169 runs with Hazlewood again starring with 3/52.
Labuschagne was named man of the match for his twin centuries, but this was an excellent team performance that provides a strong base to build on.
--------------------------------------------------
SECOND TEST
19 June 2020, Dhaka
Team: Burns, Labuschagne, Pucovski, Smith, Head*, Carey†, Agar, Neser, Pattinson, Zampa, Richardson
Australia 401 (Carey 82, Head 71, Hasan 6/124) and 6/229 (Carey 77*) defeated Bangladesh 342 (Haque 93, Das 85, Pattinson 4/99) and 285 (Iqbal 126) by four wickets
The selectors rang the changes for this game with debutants Alex Carey, Will Pucovski, Michael Neser and Adam Zampa included alongside the returning James Pattinson and Jhye Richardson. Travis Head captained the side for the first time in Tim Paine's absence, with Marnus Labuschagne opening alongside Joe Burns in place of the rested David Warner and Pucovski slotting in at number three. Head lost his first coin toss and Australia were asked to bowl first.
Bangladesh continued on from their improved showing in the second innings of the first Test, with Liton Das (85) and captain Monimul Haque (93) driving them to a solid first innings total of 342. Pattinson was the pick of the bowlers with 4/99 but Richardson (2/58) and Neser (1/60) showed good control and Ashton Agar's 2/42 confirmed him as a genuine second spinner.
Burns and Pucovski struggled with the conditions and were dismissed cheaply, but patient half-centuries from Labuschagne and Smith guided Australia into a decent position before Head returned to form with a rapid 71 alongside state teammate Carey, whose impressive debut 82 featured 9 4s and 2 sixes. Another decent score for Agar (47) and some runs from the tail got Australia to 401, giving them a first innings lead of 59. Teenage off spinner Nayeem Hasan was the best of the bowlers taking 6/124 from his 40 overs.
Bangladesh were underwhelming in reply, with opener Shadman Islam’s brilliant 126 and a patient 53 from all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain’s the only bright spots in an otherwise disappointing 285 all out. Pattinson, Neser and Zampa picked up two wickets each while Richardson again showed excellent control and Agar picked up another important wicket.
Chasing 229 for the win, Australia started terribly falling to 5/92 early in their innings. A 115-run partnership between debutants Carey and Neser (77* and 56* respectively) steadied the ship though, guiding Australia home with four wickets in hand.
Carey named man of the match for his two game defining half-centuries but, Pucovski aside, all of the debutants and returning players acquitted themselves well.
A fairly gentle introduction to the game with a two Test tour of Bangladesh. Australia are currently ranked 5th in the world and, with the Test Championship in England next year, will be desperate to perform against a Bangladesh side ranked 9th. The selectors have also taken the opportunity to look at some new faces ahead of the Indian tour of Australia in the summer, including four uncapped players in the 18-man squad.
| NAME | AGE | TESTS |
| Tim PAINE (c) | 35 | 31 |
| Travis HEAD (vc) | 26 | 17 |
| Ashton AGAR | 26 | 4 |
| Joe BURNS | 31 | 21 |
| Alex CAREY | 28 | - |
| Pat CUMMINS | 27 | 30 |
| Josh HAZLEWOOD | 29 | 51 |
| Marnus LABUSCHAGNE | 26 | 14 |
| Nathan LYON | 33 | 96 |
| Mitchell MARSH | 29 | 32 |
| Michael NESER | 30 | - |
| James PATTINSON | 30 | 21 |
| Will PUCOVSKI | 22 | - |
| Jhye RICHARDSON | 23 | 1 |
| Steven SMITH | 31 | 73 |
| Mitchell STARC | 30 | 57 |
| David WARNER | 34 | 84 |
| Adam ZAMPA | 28 | - |
--------------------------------------------------
FIRST TEST
11 June 2020, Chittagong
Team: Warner, Burns, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Paine*†, Agar, Cummins, Starc, Lyon, Hazlewood
Australia 433 (Labuschagne 154, Agar 92, Islam 4/106) and 4/329 dec (Warner 145, Labuschagne 128) defeated Bangladesh 244 (Das 69, Hazlewood 3/22) and 349 (Iqbal 108, Hazlewood 3/52) by 169 runs
An excellent start to the career, with a dominant victory on the back of two strong batting performances. Ashton Agar was included to provide a second spin bowling option with Tim Paine moved up to number six. Paine won the toss and chose to bat in good conditions, but might have regretted that decision after both openers were dismissed cheaply. A 150-run partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith (154 and 64 respectively) put Australia into a decent position and, while new vice-captain Travis Head was dismissed for a duck, excellent contributions from Paine (62), Agar (92) and Pat Cummins (38) drove Australia to a strong first innings total of 433.
Bangladesh started well in reply with both openers passing 30 and number three Liton Das making an impressive 69 before a stunning catch from David Warner off Mitchell Starc ended his stay, but their lower order was unable to deal with the Australian attack. Starc and Cummins finished with two wickets each but Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 3/22.
Warner got Australia’s second innings off to a blistering start with a stunning 145 from 123 balls. He was well supported by Labuschagne who made 128 - his second hundred for the match. Australia eventually declared after tea on day four at 4/329 setting Bangladesh 518 for the win.
Star opening batsman Tamim Iqbal drove Bangladesh to a credible 349 with a brilliant 108 before Lyon trapped him in front. Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and were unable to form any partnerships, with Australia eventually winning by 169 runs with Hazlewood again starring with 3/52.
Labuschagne was named man of the match for his twin centuries, but this was an excellent team performance that provides a strong base to build on.
--------------------------------------------------
SECOND TEST
19 June 2020, Dhaka
Team: Burns, Labuschagne, Pucovski, Smith, Head*, Carey†, Agar, Neser, Pattinson, Zampa, Richardson
Australia 401 (Carey 82, Head 71, Hasan 6/124) and 6/229 (Carey 77*) defeated Bangladesh 342 (Haque 93, Das 85, Pattinson 4/99) and 285 (Iqbal 126) by four wickets
The selectors rang the changes for this game with debutants Alex Carey, Will Pucovski, Michael Neser and Adam Zampa included alongside the returning James Pattinson and Jhye Richardson. Travis Head captained the side for the first time in Tim Paine's absence, with Marnus Labuschagne opening alongside Joe Burns in place of the rested David Warner and Pucovski slotting in at number three. Head lost his first coin toss and Australia were asked to bowl first.
Bangladesh continued on from their improved showing in the second innings of the first Test, with Liton Das (85) and captain Monimul Haque (93) driving them to a solid first innings total of 342. Pattinson was the pick of the bowlers with 4/99 but Richardson (2/58) and Neser (1/60) showed good control and Ashton Agar's 2/42 confirmed him as a genuine second spinner.
Burns and Pucovski struggled with the conditions and were dismissed cheaply, but patient half-centuries from Labuschagne and Smith guided Australia into a decent position before Head returned to form with a rapid 71 alongside state teammate Carey, whose impressive debut 82 featured 9 4s and 2 sixes. Another decent score for Agar (47) and some runs from the tail got Australia to 401, giving them a first innings lead of 59. Teenage off spinner Nayeem Hasan was the best of the bowlers taking 6/124 from his 40 overs.
Bangladesh were underwhelming in reply, with opener Shadman Islam’s brilliant 126 and a patient 53 from all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain’s the only bright spots in an otherwise disappointing 285 all out. Pattinson, Neser and Zampa picked up two wickets each while Richardson again showed excellent control and Agar picked up another important wicket.
Chasing 229 for the win, Australia started terribly falling to 5/92 early in their innings. A 115-run partnership between debutants Carey and Neser (77* and 56* respectively) steadied the ship though, guiding Australia home with four wickets in hand.
Carey named man of the match for his two game defining half-centuries but, Pucovski aside, all of the debutants and returning players acquitted themselves well.
Comment