Mustafizur Rahman and Mehedi Hasan made most of the second new ball to bring Bangladesh back into contest in the rain-hit third day of the second Test against Australia on Wednesday.
The duo staged a fight back just when it appeared that Australia were taking the game away from Bangladesh’s reach with David Warner hitting his second century in a row.
A sharp piece of fielding helped Bangladesh end the overnight unbeaten
partnership between Warner and Peter Handscomb before Mustafiz and Mehedi took the control of the proceedings.
Australia reached 377-9 at stumps to take a lead of 72 runs in the first innings but things could have been far more menacing for Bangladesh if the duo had not ruled the final session.
Celebrating his 22nd birthday, Mustafiz was the pick of the bowlers for Tigers with 3-84, which included the vital wicket of Warner, who completely transformed his natural aggressive batting to hit 123 off 234 balls.
Imrul Kayes took the catch at leg-gully after several fumbles as Warner left after hitting just seven boundaries in the innings, the least in any of his 100-plus innings.
Warner, who was unbeaten on 88 overnight, received a great support from Handscomb as the duo shared 152-run for the third wicket to put Australia in a firm position.
Bangladesh needed something special to separate them but it was hard to come by until Sakib al Hasan made a perfect throw from mid-wicket to end a fine 82-run innings of Handscomb.
Handscomb responded to a call for a single that would have completed the century of Warner but a little hesitation from the Australian vice-captain cost them a wicket.
With Sakib looked less threatening skipper Mushfiqur Rahim opted to use Mehedi with new ball and rewards came in the shape of three wickets for him despite some sloppy fielding.
Mehedi himself was responsible for some butter-fingered fielding by dropping Glenn Maxwell on 10 at gully off Mustafiz before he put down Hilton Cartwright off his own bowling on six.
Mehedi made some amendments when he had Cartwright caught by Soumya Sarkar at slip for 18 to reduce Australia to 321-5 at tea after rain washed out the first session of the day.
He then removed Maxwell for 38 in the final session before a rare successful review earned him the wicket of Pat Cummins, who was trapped leg-before without offering a shot.
Ashton Agar helped Australia’s lead swell with few confident shots before Sakib finally made him his first wicket in the innings.
Soumya dropped him inexplicably at slip but it did not cost Bangladesh much as the Sakib’s turning delivery went through his defense five balls later to bowl him out for 22.
Bad light denied Bangladesh a chance to wrap-up Australia’s innings as stumps were drawn 13 overs from the schedule, though the decision of umpires to call off the play early did not make Bangladesh top-order very unhappy.
Thanks to Mustafiz and Mehedi, who finished the day with 3-93, batsmen can plan afresh for their second innings, which in all likelihood would decide the outcome of the game.
-With New Age input
