Australian batter Steve Smith has said that he was lucky enough not to be dismissed early in his innings on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin on Thursday.
He acknowledged after the day’s play that he believed he had made contact with the delivery but the technology saved him and called himself lucky. Smith was on seven when Bangladesh appealed for a catch behind the wicket off Ebadot Hossain. On-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena turned down the appeal, but Bangladesh opted for the Decision Review System. The review found no conclusive evidence of an edge and the original not-out decision was upheld. This was a massive moment in the game as he top-scored for Australia with 71 off 109 balls
“I think so, yeah,” said Smith when asked if he nicked the ball. “I was lucky? Yeah, it seems that way. You got to take it sometimes.” Asked whether he could trust the technology after the review failed to overturn the on-field decision, Smith said, “Normally it’s pretty good. Maybe I didn’t nick it. I don’t know, but I certainly felt something. If I’d been given out, I was going to walk off. But, yeah, technology saved me today, I guess.”
Hasan Mahmud stars as Bangladesh dominated Day 1 against Australia
Bangladesh dominated Day 1 of the first Test at Darwin. The hosts opted to bat first on a tricky surface and the decision backfired as they were bowled out within two sessions. The visitors ended up with 1-96 at stumps, trailing by 102, having enjoyed the best of the batting conditions once the moisture dried out. Mominul and Tanzid Hasan looked solid and built a partnership to steady things. The surface has gotten easier to bat and they will look to capitalize on it in the upcoming days. Bangladesh’s pacers made the most of the conditions to bowl Australia out for 198 in 53 overs, with Hasan Mahmud being the pick of the bowlers as he finished with figures of 6/55.
Right arm pacer Hasan Mahmud recorded his country’s best Test figures against Australia, to knock over their hosts for less than 200 for the sixth time in their last nine Tests. Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed took two each. Smith’s decision proved significant as he went on to make Australia’s highest score in a difficult opening day for the hosts. This is Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia since 2003, when they suffered a 2-0 defeat. The second and final Test of the ongoing series will be played in Mackay from 22 August.