Bangladesh Faces Heavy Defeat Ahead of Australia Test Series

Bangladesh's Struggles in Warm-Up Match

Darwin, Aug 8: Bangladesh encountered a significant blow in their preparations for the Test series against Australia, as they were bowled out for a mere 54 runs in their second innings. This collapse led to an innings and 38-run defeat against the Cricket Australia XI during a three-day warm-up match held on Saturday.

Campbell Thompson, a left-arm pacer, was the standout performer for the hosts, claiming 8 wickets for just 25 runs as Bangladesh's batting lineup crumbled in just 17 overs on the third day.

Starting their second innings with two wickets already lost, Bangladesh needed a strong comeback after trailing by 92 runs from the first innings. However, they were unable to withstand the pressure from the CA XI bowlers and were dismissed before lunch. Tanzid Hasan was the only player to score above 10 runs, managing 22 runs.

Thompson, a 22-year-old from South Australia who had previously played only one first-class match, took the first five wickets in the second innings after beginning his onslaught late the previous day.

Corey Rocchiccioli, an off-spinner, briefly halted Thompson's momentum by taking a wicket, adding to the six he had taken in Bangladesh's first innings.

Thompson returned to wrap up the innings, dismissing Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck and sealing the match with two wickets in consecutive deliveries.

"Sometimes luck is on your side. Today was one of those days for me. It’s a great experience to compete against a Test side just days before a series, and playing alongside seasoned Australian players like Kurtis Patterson and Corey Rocchiccioli has been fantastic," Thompson remarked after the match.

The CA XI had earlier scored 355 runs in their first innings, with Sam Wyllie leading the charge with a century (130 runs). Contributions also came from Kurtis Patterson (53 runs) and Doran (76 runs). Hasan Mahmud was the most effective bowler for Bangladesh, taking 4 wickets for 42 runs.

In their first innings, Bangladesh managed to score 263 runs, thanks largely to an unbeaten 109 from Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who helped stabilize the innings after a shaky start.

Rocchiccioli took 6 wickets for 83 runs in that innings, while Thompson's impressive performance in the second innings ensured that Bangladesh could not force the CA XI to bat again.

This defeat comes at a crucial time for Bangladesh as they have just four days to regroup before their first Test against Australia.

This series marks Bangladesh's first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, where they will face a formidable bowling lineup including Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. Following their collapse in Darwin, Bangladesh will need to significantly enhance their batting performance to compete against Australia's Test attack.

Brief scores:

Cricket Australia XI 355 (Wyllie 130, Doran 76, Patterson 53, Mahmud 4-42) defeated Bangladesh 263 (Mehidy 109*, Rocchiccioli 6-83) and 54 all out in 22 overs (Thompson 8-25) by an innings and 38 runs.