A bizarre incident took place during Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and Bangladesh in Darwin. Star Australia all-rounder Cameron Green benefitted from a massive moment of luck during the second innings. After a delivery from Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed , the ball got an inside edge off Green’s bat and hit the stumps. But remarkably, the bails did not fall off, handing Green an unlikely lifeline. Taskin was left with his face in his hands, as Bangladesh’s massive opportunity went begging.
Australia was at times its own enemy with another three dropped catches Saturday, including an inexplicable drop by Smith in the deep, making it five for the battered hosts across the match.
It took Mahmud’s (2/33) match wicket tally to eight after his return of 6/55 in the first innings limited the hosts to 198 and set the tone for the tourists’ upper hand for the following two days. The match spun firmly toward Bangladesh though, when Mehidy took a sharp caught and bowled chance from Smith (44) as Australia sunk to 122/4, still 106 in arrears. Australia’s hopes of salvaging the match rested on Smith’s shoulders and the veteran looked composed as he characteristically accumulated his runs with low risk.
