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By Ishaan Kapoor — 15 August 2026 — 3 min read

Bangladesh maintains advantage in Darwin Test

Bangladesh bowlers made significant progress on Day 3 of the Darwin Test, despite favourable batting conditions. They managed to break through the Australian top order, positioning themselves advantageously heading into Day 4. Australia concluded the day trailing by 67 runs with six wickets remaining.

The third innings commenced with Australia needing to overcome a 228-run deficit. Hasan Mahmud, the Bangladesh pacer, continued his strong performance from the first innings, where he took 6/55. He struck twice with the new ball, dismissing Australia’s openers, Jake Weatherald for a duck and Travis Head for 17, providing an early boost for Bangladesh.

Following these early breakthroughs, Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 31, and Steve Smith, with 44 runs, managed to stabilize the innings. They successfully slowed the fall of wickets and built a partnership. However, Bangladesh’s spinners, Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, intervened, accounting for both batsmen and further pressuring Australia.

Australian resistance and Hazlewood’s milestone

Despite the pressure, all-rounder Cameron Green and wicket-keeper Alex Carey showed resilience. They held their ground against Bangladesh’s consistent bowling on a pitch that remained conducive for batting. With six wickets still in hand, Australia will aim to erase the deficit and then establish a defendable total for the fourth innings, anticipating the wicket will deteriorate over time.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s lower-order batsmen frustrated Australia by extending their lead. Their initial lead of 153 runs grew to over 200. Mehidy Hasan Miraz played a notable innings, scoring a spirited 65, supported by other lower-order contributions, even as Australia pushed for wickets.

Amidst some fielding errors from Australia, Josh Hazlewood was a standout performer with the ball. He made an early impact by dismissing Hasan Mahmud for 14. The right-arm pacer also claimed the remaining Bangladesh batsmen on the third day, including Miraz, finishing with figures of 6/89. This performance marked a significant milestone for Hazlewood, as he became the ninth Australian to reach 300 Test wickets.

Hazlewood joins his teammates Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Pat Cummins in the exclusive 300-wicket club. Among all Australians who have achieved this feat, only Cummins, Glenn McGrath, and Dennis Lillee possess a better bowling average than Hazlewood’s 24.02. Speaking to Kayo Sports after his achievement, Hazlewood remarked that such milestones are not typically on a player’s mind during a match but are something to reflect upon later. He also expressed satisfaction at seeing his name alongside other distinguished players, including three of his current teammates.

The departure of Steve Smith, caught and bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 44, left Australia in a difficult position at 122 for four. This moment sparked jubilant celebrations among the Bangladesh players on the Marrara Oval pitch. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto praised his team’s character and play over the preceding days, stating his happiness with their performance.

Cameron Green, who was 43 not out, and Alex Carey, on 15, faced a substantial challenge to keep Australia in the match. Their partnership will be crucial to prevent a defeat. The conditions at Marrara Oval in Australia’s tropical north have been consistently hot, and the Australian team, particularly their pace attack, appeared fatigued after three consecutive days of play.

Despite Hazlewood’s milestone, Australia’s celebrations were subdued given their precarious position. Bangladesh is now within six wickets of securing a notable victory. With important ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 points at stake, the Tigers will aim to capitalize on their advantage early on Sunday to conclude the Australian batting innings.

The match continues to be finely poised, with Bangladesh holding a strong position to achieve a significant win in the first Test.

Source: icc-cricket.com