Australia 198 and 161 for 4 (Green 43*, Carey 19*) trail Bangladesh 426 (Tanzid 101, Shanto 84, Mehidy 65, Hazlewood 6-89) by 67 runs
Four Australian wickets, including two more for Hasan Mahmud, in the second half of the third day kept Bangladesh on course for a famous victory in Darwin. Australia finished on 161 for 4 at stumps, still trailing by 67 runs, with Cameron Green and Alex Carey carrying their hopes of a turnaround.
Green was unbeaten on 43 off 86 balls while Carey gave him company on 19 off 50 balls. A huge moment came midway through the final session when Australia lost Steven Smith, chipping a catch to Mehidy Hasan Miraz who had earlier helped Bangladesh extend their first innings to 426, a lead of 228.
Australia had lost both their openers quickly when they finally got to bat on the third day. Jake Weatherald fell for a third-ball duck when he was cramped for room by Mahmud and chopped into his stumps, heaping further pressure on his position at the top of the order. Travis Head did a similar thing to the same bowler for 17, before curiously placing the bail back in the groove after he was bowled.
Marnus Labuschagne scratched around for an hour and a half until he played across a full delivery from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam. He struck two fours in his 59-ball stay but hardly looked convincing. There had been a big lbw appeal first ball, although it was missing leg stump, and Bangladesh reviewed when Labuschagne padded up to Taskin Ahmed but it was going over.
Smith, who had top-scored with 71 in the first innings, tried to take the attack back to Bangladesh, but they remained patient in their approach. They were unlucky when a Taskin delivery brushed Green's leg stump off the inside edge, but the bails didn't dislodge, much to everyone's dismay.
Then came the big wicket. Mehidy, delivering the ball from considerably behind the popping crease, got Smith to poke one back at him. Mehidy swallowed a fine return catch, and the Bangladesh fielders ran wild around him. At that point, Australia were still 106 runs adrift but Green and Carey carried them to the close without further damage.
Bangladesh had earlier batted through 138 overs in their first innings, including seeing out the first session of the third day to pile on the agony for Australia. Mehidy kept the visitors' tail together for 52.3 overs, himself making 65. He had been the only batter with substantial runs ahead of the Test after he made a century in the warm-up match against the CA XI. Mehidy reached his tenth Test fifty from 117 balls and signed off the opening session by hooking Green for six.
Australia didn't help themselves by dropping five catches in total, though, including two in a Pat Cummins over towards the end of the first session - Steven Smith went first, dropping a sitter at deep-backward square-leg off Taskin, and Mehidy was then let off by Head, a much tougher opportunity running back from midwicket
Mehidy farmed the strike during his partnerships with Mahmud, Taskin and Taijul but his team-mates provided excellent support. Mahmud batted out 92 balls, while Taijul struck Josh Hazlewood for a six in his 23-ball 17. Taskin batted for an hour and 42 minutes for his unbeaten 14. Hazlewood took the wickets of Mehidy and Ebadot Hossain in quick succession after the lunch break to move past 300 in Tests, becoming the ninth Australian bowler to do so.
