Updated ,first published
Darwin: Pat Cummins conceded Australiaโs malfunctioning batting order may need to be overturned after the Test teamโs bubble was comprehensively burst by Bangladesh in the touristsโ first-ever red ball victory on these shores.
Having presaged this game with innings defeats by Zimbabwe and then a modest Cricket Australia XI, the tourists turned Darwin into Tiger land by thoroughly outplaying Australia in every session, for a result that will force urgent conversations about the makeup of an ageing team.
Cameron Green (104) was the lone source of substantial resistance for the Australians, who briefly glimpsed the possibility of an innings defeat before they were bowled out for 284. Bangladesh lost the sole wicket of first innings century-maker Tanzid Hasan before skating home.
Cummins did not deny his side had played poorly in a game they had been widely expected to dominate, and his comments about the trends in the batting lineup will leave the likes of Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne wondering about their places.
Former opener Matt Renshaw trained with the Test squad in Brisbane and is available to come in, as are Campbell Kellaway and Sam Konstas, who played in the CA XI. Josh Inglis is the spare batter in the current 13-man squad.
โI think itโs a balance of itโs one Test, but itโs also a bit of a trend as well, so trying to work out do you need to intervene now, or let it play out, and you think itโs the way forward,โ Cummins said.
โThatโs the question over the next couple of days, weโll sit down and have a think, selectors will have a think, is there something there thatโs going to take us forward, or is it starting to become a trend that we think needs to be changed.
โItโs pretty clear itโs not quite functioning as well as weโd like as a group, so Iโm sure the batters will get together and talk. Review some footage, review methods, their approaches to how they were this week. If we need to make some changes to our style, weโve got a week or so and we better do it pretty quickly.โ
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hailed his sideโs best victory in any format in their history, and also stated he would have bowled first on a fresh pitch had he won the toss. Cummins said he would make the same decision again, a posture that places more pressure on the batters who failed to get through the first morning.
โItโs not the desired result by any means, and I think the standard we hold is a bit higher than what we played this week,โ Cummins said. โI thought our preparation was really excellent.
โIt just felt like we didnโt get off to a great start and once youโre behind on a pretty good wicket against a pretty good side, itโs hard to wrestle momentum back. Hard to put your finger on one thing but it felt like we were a bit off the pace.
โIโd probably do the same thing, you get through that first hour, even the seam numbers werenโt very high after that first hour, so youโd hope as a team we could bat longer than the overs we batted for the Test.โ
All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5-66) bowled magnificently for Bangladesh, getting some deliveries to turn sharply out of the footmarks and others to skid through straight. With the benefit of scoreboard pressure, he comfortably out-bowled Nathan Lyon.
First innings hero Hasan Mahmud (3-56) was also a vital contributor, finishing the match with nine wickets, including the final hammer blow to remove Green. Former skipper Ricky Ponting has already called for significant change to the Test side.
โIโm the last one to want to make change,โ Ponting said on Seven when the match was in its death throes. โAs a captain or as a player, I wanted to keep a group together, so it has to get to a bad point before I start saying youโve got to leave somebody out.
โBut thereโs been enough evidence for me coming here to suggest they werenโt going to lose anything, or much at all, by starting that regeneration, bringing in another opener, bringing in someone at three … I think that has to happen.โ
Alex Carey never looked to be in command, and twice edged Mahmud through the slips before Mehidy dismissed him with a classical off-break that took an edge behind.
Green was more solid, and played one nicely down the ground to raise his first Test match 50 since the tour of the West Indies over a year ago.
Beau Webster was then befuddled by another beauty from Mehidy, a slightly quicker off-break that drifted then skidded through to beat the outside edge and flick the off stump.
Green unfurled a superb pull shot for six to move into the 90s. A pair of twos, the second of them tight, then took Green to his first Test hundred in Australia, an excellent innings that showcased why he is the future of the batting line-up.
He marked the moment with a clenched fist before acknowledging a strong ovation from the Darwin faithful, who totalled 18,352 spectators over four days.
Green alluded to criticism of his recent lack of runs when interviewed by Adam Gilchrist after his century, and also indicated he had returned to his former batting methods after struggling lately to balance the competing demands of three formats.
โI feel like thereโs always wolves when you play Test cricket,โ Green said on Fox Cricket. โEspecially when you play for Australia, youโve always had to perform, so yeah itโs nice to get a performance.
โI think I just went back to what I used to do back in the day. I think Iโve just been chopping and changing a little bit recently, so yeah itโs nice just to go back to what worked.โ
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Daniel Brettig is The Age’s chief cricket writer and the author of several books on cricket.Connect via X.From our partners
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