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Attack pounded into Dhaka's dust
By IAIN PAYTEN
10apr06
HAVING declared it wasn't scared of Australia, plucky Bangladesh set about proving the point yesterday on a surprising opening day of the first Test in Dhaka.
The Tigers tossed away the script calling for Australian dominance with a rollicking display of batting, belting their high-profile rivals around the Fatullah Stadium in an up-tempo start to their innings.
An audacious 187-run stand between Bangladesh skipper Habibul Bashar (76) and opener Shariar Nafees (121) saw the home side pile on 3/294.
The partnership between Nafees and Bashar was the Bangladesh's best in 42 Test. It surpassed the 167 scored by Bashar and Javed Omar at the second wicket against Pakistan in 2003.
Nafees' century came off 131 balls with 16 boundaries in 209 minutes.
Stifling heat and a rock-hard, flat track was ideal for batsmen and it appeared Bangladesh's gameplan was to stick with the one-day formula that provided its upset win in Cardiff last year.
With a combination of confident batting and occasional good fortune, the Tigers' opening session yielded a massive 144 runs for the loss of just one wicket.
The small but boisterous Dhaka crowd were delighted as Bashar and Nafees spared none of Australia's big-name bowlers with their carefree strokeplay.
Spin maestro Shane Warne was dispatched to the boundary regularly, while Brett Lee and Stuart Clark found nothing in the grassless wicket to help them.
Recalled quick Jason Gillespie managed to make a breakthrough, taking the wicket of Javed Omar with his fifth ball of his first over.
Then legspinner Stuart MacGill had Bashar caught by Brett Lee at mid-on while trying to hit an unlucky pull shot just before the break was called. Bashar's knock came off 113 balls, with 11 fours.
It was an opening day that showed minnow Bangladesh is rapidly moving up the cricket food chain.
Most expected the opening Test to be a cakewalk for Australia, but Bangladesh thought otherwise and entered the Test declaring it would be respectful "but not scared."
"Last time (in 2003) we wanted to just survive. This time we want to perform," said Bashar in the morning papers.
Perform they did.
Australia was presented with an ICC trophy for being the No. 1Test nation pre-match, but skipper Ricky Ponting was left scratching his head soon after Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
The Tigers' openers made their intentions clear from the outset, playing confident strokes on the small oval.
Lee found no luck early. He was turned down twice, for a caught behind and then an lbw shout to Omar.
Bangladesh sprinted to 50 in the 10th over but the introduction of Gillespie in the next over saw the first wicket fall.
Sporting an unfamiliar short, back and sides and returning after an eight-month absence, Gillespie needed just five balls to trap Omar lbw and claim his 252nd Test scalp.
Omar may have been hard done by, with replays showing he was well forward and struck on the pad-roll.
It mattered little because his dismissal brought Bashar to the middle and, partnered with Nafees - and the home side's run-rate skyrocketed.
Stuart Clark's opening six overs went for 34 runs, but he wasn't alone.
Shane Warne was rushed into the attack in the 13th over by Ponting but the Bangladesh pair had little trouble dispatching the spin king and over the boundary ropes.
Ponting was forced to abandon his attacking fields and ring the fence with men as Bashar and Nafees batted with abandon against their powerful rivals.
Bangladesh brought up its hundred in 19 overs before Nafees was given a life when dropped off the bowling of Warne just before lunch.
The leg-spinner found the right-hander's edge but Adam Gilchrist coudn't grasp a sharp chance.
With the Bangladeshi batsmen looking comfortable, forecasts of a three-day Test walkover for Australia rapidly went out the window.
Edited on, April 9, 2006, 3:45 PM GMT, by capslock.