Australia has closed day three of the first Test against Bangladesh on 4-161, still 67 runs behind the tourists on another chastening day in Darwin.
Alex Carey (19) and Cameron Green (43) are the not out batters, combining for a valuable 39-run partnership late in the day that will prove crucial for Australia’s chances of saving, or perhaps even winning the Test.
Australia will back itself to make Bangladesh bat again but, on an increasingly placid pitch, will have to bat very well to set a challenging target to the tourists, a scenario almost inconceivable for supporters of the world’s number one side prior to the match getting underway.
With Bangladesh resuming on 6-351, Australia once again struggled to make inroads, extending their already gruelling labours in the field.
Josh Hazlewood thought he had made the breakthrough when umpire Richard Illingworth fired out Mehidy Hasan LBW, only for the DRS to show the ball was missing the leg stump.
The veteran quick was frustrated then, but soon was celebrating when Hasan Mahmud was trapped bang in front to depart for 14.
Hazlewood became the ninth Australian to pass 300 Test wickets on day three. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
Hazlewood then claimed another, having Taijul Islam caught sharply by Cam Green, whose self-preservation instincts came to the fore to stop the ball flying into his face at gully.
If those two wickets had Australia thinking they’d soon be batting, the discipline of the Bangladeshi batters made sure they had to stay out even longer, coupled with a shocking drop from Steve Smith.
Taskin Ahmed top edged a pull shot out to Smith, who settled under the ball and let it through his finger tips.
A few balls later, Travis Head dropped a far harder chance, racing around from close to the wicket as Bangladesh reached 8-417 at lunch.
Smith dropped a sitter in the morning session. (Getty Images: Albert Perez/Cricket Australia)
The mounting frustration eased somewhat by two more Hazlewood wickets, as he claimed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Ebadot Hossain, both caught behind, to secure a 14th Test five-fa and his 300th Test wicket, becoming the ninth Australian to reach that particular milestone.
Australia needed a good start, but under-pressure home-town favourite Jake Weatherald departed second over for a duck, chopping on after playing with an angled bat to Hasan Mahmud.
Failing to learn from his first innings dismissal and that of his opening partner, Travis Head followed in near identical fashion to leave Australia 2-37 and in desperate trouble.
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith came to the crease and both survived big Bangladeshi appeals, with Smith forced to review a caught behind decision when he was on three, the replay showing that he hit the ground with his bat instead of the ball.
Labuschagne departed after prematurely glowing praise from a former teammate in the commentary box. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
That pair looked set, with Labuschagne seemingly playing with am encouragingly positive intent that was desperately lacking in his first innings effort.
However, the Queenslander was next to depart, playing all around a Taijul Islam fuller ball and yorking himself against the spinner to be out for 31.
Smith and Cameron Green rebuilt with a patient and untroubled 49-run partnership on an increasingly docile pitch, right up until Smith flat-batted a return catch to Bangladesh’s other spinner, Mehidy Hasan for 44.
Australia still trailed by over 100 runs at that stage, with Alex Carey joining Green, who incredibly survived an inside edge that clipped his leg stump without dislodging the bail early in the evening session.
They batted out the remainder of the day without too much alarm, but know they will have to fight just as hard to save this Test match over the next two days.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog below.
Live updates: Australia vs Bangladesh
We’ll leave it there
Received wisdom says that the third day of a Test match is often its “moving day.”
And today, only one side was doing the moving, with Bangladesh continuing their path towards a famous, famous victory.
The Australians, once again, listless in the Darwin heat, and will begin day four needing a further 67 runs to make Bangladesh bat again.
Thank you for joining me and Simon today. We hope to see you again tomorrow, with play beginning at 10:30am AEST.
STUMPS: Australia 4-161 (trailing Bangladesh by 67 runs)
Well, another day of Bangladeshi domination comes to an end in Darwin.
The Tigers have been so, so impressive at Marrara Stadium, playing with all the discipline, commitment and skill their much-vaunted hosts have lacked.
Taking an enormous 228-run lead into the second innings and then ripping through the Australian top order, they have a gone a long, long way towards securing a famous victory.
Travis Head (17) and Jake Weatherald (0) both chopped on meekly, before Marnus Labuschagne (31) and Steve Smith (44) were careless with their dismissals — Labuschagne being yorked by spinner Taijul and Smith chipping one back to Mehidy.
Australia end the day with just six wickets in hand and still requiring 67 more runs to make Bangladesh bat again.
Bangladesh captain Shanto is speaking to Fox Cricket at the close of play, and is full of praise for his team’s all-round effort.
“As a team we need to play all together, we don’t have any individual players to win the match for us,” Shanto said.
“We have some experienced guys, but we need to perform as a team.”
And perform as a team they certainly have.
53rd over – Mehidy to finish day three
The off-spinner is back from the other end, bowling what will be the final over of day three.
There’s a slip and a bat pad in place for Cam Green, who is defending the first couple balls.
That’s a nice shot from Green, working one off his hip for a single.
Alex Carey has three balls to survive.
And it’s a boundary! Carey lashes one through point and that’s a lovely square drive. Four runs.
Carey chases another one but doesn’t make contact.
And he’s defending the final ball of the day.
52nd over – Taijul swung around
So left-arm off-spinner Taijul is back after a couple over’s absence.
He’s bowling to Cam Green, who has a man underneath his helmet as well as a slip behind his right shoulder.
Green is defending stoutly and then working a single straight.
Lovely shot! There had been some pressure building on Alex Carey, who had been struggling to find timing against the Bangladeshi spin twins. But that’s a great shot, firm and down the ground, past the bowler, and to the fence.
He defends to end the over.
Yep, it certainly does
No pressure, but this partnership needs to last a looooong time and score a lot of runs…..
– Tanya
51st over – Taskin goes again
Taskin is coming over the wicket, with only one man in the cordon for Cam Green, who is defending back to the bowler.
Green then slashes through a gap between gully and point for a single.
There’s a second slip as well as a gully in place for Alex Carey, who’s tapping one into a packed off-side field.
Plenty of catchers in there.
Carey is pushing into the on-side for no run.
A dot to end the over.
50th over – Mehidy with another set
He continues around the wicket to Alex Carey, who has looked a little uncomfortable against the right-arm off-spinner.
A man next to the Australian at bat pad and another behind him at slip.
Carey’s defending.
Another maiden for Mehidy.
49th over – Pace returns for Bangladesh
We’re entering the final 15 minutes of play, and Shanto decides it’s time for some pace.
Hard to argue with the Bangladeshi captain, considering he’s got just about everything right so far in the Top End.
It’s Taskin tasked with prising his side a final wicket for the day.
Shot! Green strides forward to a full one, and that’s a glorious, full-blooded drive through the covers. Four runs.
The big man is defending.
He’s looking pretty good, Cam Green.
Best he’s looked for quite some time.
He’s defending to end the over.
Another stunning afternoon in Darwin
48th over – Mehidy keeps going
Mehidy is bowing to Cameron Green, with two men around the bat.
Green is keeping out a couple probing deliveries pitching outside off, before flicking into the on-side for a single.
Carey is defending.
47th over – Taijul again
Full and straight from Taijul, and Green is able to do what Labuschagne couldn’t — keep it from castling him. A single brings Carey onto strike.
Reverse! Carey brings out the reverse sweep for the first time today, and it isn’t entirely convincing. He looks slightly unbalanced in getting the ball away, but Ebadot is even more awkward in the infield, completely losing the ball and letting it bobble past him. Four runs.
46th over – Mehidy to Carey
Bat pad and a slip in place for Alex Carey, who is defending the first ball of the over.
Carey is then stepping away and manufacturing some room, he gets his shot away, but only just.
That one was almost through him. No run.
Carey is looking increasingly antsy as the over nears its conclusion, trying to create a scoring opportunity.
He can’t, and that’s a maiden.
45th over – Taijul continues
Carey works a single of the first ball of the over, and Bangladesh won’t mind that one bit.
Taijul, bowling his left arm offies, has been brought on to target Cam Green, with the ball spinning away from the big man from around the wicket.
There are a couple catchers on the off-side and a slip in place.
Green is defending and sees out the over.
44th over – Carey needs to hurry
Run-out chance! Carey dabs the ball into the off-side and sets off rather nonchalantly for a single. Halfway down the track, he realises he needs to hurry and decides to pick up the pace.
It would’ve been touch and go, but the shy at the stumps flies into an unaware Bangladesh body.
The Australians manage to see out the over.
43rd over – Taijul is back
So, spin from both ends as shadows continue to lengthen on Marrara Stadium.
Taijul is coming around the wicket to Green, angling in and spinning away, with only a slip to play with.
Green defends the first couple and then gives himself some room, swatting out towards the point boundary.
It’s collected by the sweeper and only a single.
Oh Alex, you’re killing me here. Carey decides to bring out the little paddle sweep and would’ve been plumb in front if he didn’t brush the ball with his glove on its way through.
Over.
42nd over – Mehidy to spin six more
Green works another single down the ground, with Mehidy unable to get to the ball in time.
There’s some serious field fiddling going on as Carey returns to strike.
There’s a off-side bat pad and a slip in place for the left-hander, who defends one that slides straight.
Carey is defending to end the over.
41st over – Hasan continues with Australia requiring 99 to make Bangladesh bat again
Green works a single, and Australia now require 99 more runs to make Bangladesh bat again.
There is not much to suggest they’ll get there.
Green reaches forward to a full one, he looks pretty awkward, but does enough to steer the ball past the bowler for a single.
That’s a better shot from Green, who once again plays through wide mid-on.
It’s timed well enough for the batters to run three.
40th over – Mehidy continues after wicket
And Cam Green is swatting him straight. It’s a single for the Australians, who are looking shellshocked in the dying Darwin sun.
Carey is leaning back and just about keeping a couple cute Mehidy deliveries out.
He survives the over.
39th over – Hasan keeps going
He’s getting a first look at Alex Carey, who is forward and defending against the paceman.
And again.
Just over 45 minutes remain in the day’s play.
Bangladesh require six more wickets for an innings victory.
Carey is defending once more.
Carey earns a couple courtesy of a cute push forward of point.
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