Close of day two - Bangladesh lead by 88 runs with nine wickets remaining

Close of day two - Bangladesh lead by 88 runs with nine wickets remaining

That was another absorbing day of Test cricket and one that ends with Bangladesh very much in the ascendancy.

Australia began the day at 18-3 chasing Bangladesh’s first-innings 260 but the visiting top order could only muster one partnership of note and once the pair responsible - Renshaw and Handscomb - had both been removed the visitors were staring at a sizeable deficit. Fortunately for them the lower order batted superbly, nursing the total to 217 shortly after Tea. Agar looked a Test allrounder during his 41 not out and Cummins supported him ably during his 90-ball stay at the crease.

Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, earning the five-wicket haul he required to collect a full set of five-fors against all other Test playing nations. It took him longer than he might have expected though, courtesy of some poor fielding and the old ball becoming increasingly ineffective on a surface becalmed in comparison to what we saw on day one.

Australia’s bowlers found similar issues when they had a second crack at Bangladesh’s batsmen and it took a moment of madness from Soumya to offer the tourists a glimmer of hope during 22 largely fruitless overs late in the day.

Bangladesh have put themselves in a very strong position. Can they ram home the advantage over the three remaining days, dodge the showers and pull off a famous victory? Join us back here tomorrow to find out.