BAN v AUS, 2nd Test, Day 2 Review: Warner-Handscomb's unbeaten stand spells trouble for hosts

The Day 2 started with a charged up Pat Cummins sharing the workload with Steve O’Keefe. But the visitors had to introduce their ‘go to man’ Nathan Lyon to produce brilliance early in the day. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim could only add six more runs to his overnight score of 62, as he was bowled by Lyon in his very first over. Lyon wrapped up Bangladesh’s tail by getting his seventh scalp of the innings when he dismissed Taijul Islam. But not before

Lyon wrapped up Bangladesh’s tail by getting his seventh scalp of the innings when he dismissed Taijul Islam. But not before a fine innings from Nasir Hossain, who ensured that the host reaches the 300-mark. Hossain missed out on his 7th fifty by just five runs. Lyon led the bowling pack once again, returning with figures of 7/94 while Ashton Agar did well to end with 2/52. Comeback man O’keefe went wicketless where as Cummins ended up being the most economical bowler.

Trailing by 305, Australia lost their first wicket in the second over, after Matt Renshaw glanced one too fine to see host’s skipper and wicketkeeper Rahim take a diving catch. Mustafizur picked his first wicket, and it was also the first wicket to fall to a Bangladesh pacer in the series so far. Once again the onus was on captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner to stand up and grind through the day. A 93-run partnership between the two helped the visitors get close to the 100-run mark but Smith lost his focus after facing 94 balls under the scorching sun. He left a gap too wide for not too giant-like Taijul to make an inroad. Smith departed for 58. It was also his 18th consecutive fifty in a Test series, since making his debut. Warner took matters into his own hands and crafted his innings under the heat. He along with Peter Handscomb put on an unbeaten 127-run stand to ensure no further damage to the visitor’s reply.

Visitors put on an unbeaten stand

Handscomb batted for more than two hours to score his fourth fifty and during the fag end of the play, he had to take a few capsules and get some additional assistance from the physio to see through the end of the day. Skipper Rahim failed to take advantage of Handscomb’s exhaustion, as the batsman kept on playing out the deliveries in order to end the day without giving away his wicket. He remained unbeaten on 69, with the help of five fours and a lot of hard earned singles; while Warner is not out on 88.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan could not provide any breakthrough in the initial 15 overs of his bowling, and to everyone’s surprise, he wasn’t called into bowl during the dying moments of Day 2. Pacer Rahman finished the 2nd day with 1/45 on the score sheet, while Taijul can show the Aussie skipper’s wicket in his column. With 80 more runs to get to Bangladesh’s total, the visitors would want both Handscomb and Warner to start from where they have left today. While for the hosts, it will be important to send both the settled batsmen back to the hut and expose the likes of Glenn Maxwell and under-fire Matthew Wade.

Brief Scores

Bangladesh- 1st Innings  305 (Mushfiqur Rahim 68, Sabbir Rahman 66, Nathan Lyon 7/94)

 Australia- 1st Innings 225/2 in 64 over (David Warner 88*, Peter Handscomb 69*, Mustafizur Rahman 1/45)