05:20
Isam: Bangladesh off kilter after Smith reprieve
It has become a routine that Bangladesh’s batting collapse on the third day against Australia didn’t even register with a lot of surprise for many. An unplayable delivery, a bad shot, a freak run-out and a batsman not taking a justifiable review piled on top of each other, as they lost seven wickets within 28 overs, adding just 86 runs.
There have been many such sudden disintegrations of the batting line-up, from a position of strength, since last September. These have sometimes cost them a game, and on few occasions, famously against England in Mirpur last year, the bowlers bailing them out. Australia would have certainly chased more than 265 runs in the fourth innings had Bangladesh not gone through another all-too-familiar batting collapse.
They could still do it on the fourth day against Australia but the challenge is greater this time. Tamim Iqbal, whose dismissal shortly after lunch began the swift descend, said that Shakib, who was caught at cover attempting an inside-out shot, had the right intentions while calling Mushfiqur’s dismissal unlucky.
“If Mushfiqur and Sabbir added 25-30 runs, we would have taken a 300-run lead,” Tamim said. “Mushfiqur didn’t have much to do with his dismissal. It is hard to say why Sabbir didn’t take the review.
“He may have thought it hit his gloves. On the first day, he felt he didn’t hit it but he did. It is hard to say what he was thinking. Shakib was looking for runs but if he had waited just a bit more, it would have been better. He did well in the first innings.”
Tamim said that the 265 target doesn’t really please them, as the second innings panned out to be a lost opportunity for the home side. “If we were asked couple of days ago, we would have been happy with 260-270 target. We had an opportunity today to make the lead more than 300, so it is slightly disappointing,” he said.
Imrul Kayes, Tamim and Mushfiqur might have been unlucky with their mode of dismissal, but Soumya Sarkar, Nasir Hossain and Sabbir didn’t do themselves any favours. Soumya’s attempt to clear long-on with 11 balls remaining on the second day, seemed quite unnecessary.
“If he had seen off the day, it may have helped us. He had crossed the difficult phase but unfortunately, he got out. If he was around this morning, we would have been in a better situation,” he said.
While the first innings saw them recover through a big partnership, there was none in the second innings. And if Bangladesh go down 1-0 on the fourth day, much of the blame will be at the feet of the batsmen who didn’t grab their chances.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo