Mackay, Aug 23 (IANS) Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted his side did not produce their best performance against Australia but said the two-Test series would provide valuable experience as they look to improve in challenging overseas conditions.
Bangladesh suffered an innings-and-51-run defeat in the second Test at Mackay on Sunday, allowing Australia to level the series 1-1 after their nine-wicket victory in the opening Test in Darwin.
The match lasted only 750 balls and finished inside two days, with Bangladesh bowled out for 64 in the first innings and 95 in the second. Mitchell Starc claimed 10 wickets in the match, while Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon took three wickets each in the second innings.
Shanto acknowledged Australia’s experience and quality but felt Bangladesh had fallen short of their own standards.
“Yeah, obviously I think we all know how good they are and, as I said in the press conference, they have been experienced for almost 50, more than 50 years. So yeah, they played, they showed their character, and as the Bangladesh Test team, we didn’t play our best match,” Shanto said after the defeat.
The conditions in Mackay were significantly different from those in Darwin, with extra bounce and movement making batting difficult throughout the Test.
“Yeah, obviously I think this is a different condition, and there is a little bit more extra bounce and swing in the air. So it’s challenging for us. But as a team, if we want to go forward, we need to adjust to this condition, and I hope this experience will help going forward,” Shanto said.
Bangladesh’s bowlers did manage to produce some encouraging moments, with Shoriful Islam taking 7/48, the best figures by an overseas bowler in Australia since Curtly Ambrose’s 7/25 in Perth in 1993.
Shanto said the pitch was difficult for batters from both sides and praised Shoriful, Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud for their efforts.
“It’s quite difficult for all the batters. If you look at their batting also, they also struggled and the way Shoriful, Taskin and Hasan bowled, really happy to see them and it’s quite a difficult wicket to bat, to be very honest,” he said.
Bangladesh had produced a historic nine-wicket win in Darwin in the opening Test, but Australia responded strongly in Mackay to draw the series.
Despite the defeat, Shanto said the tour offered important lessons and urged for more opportunities to play Test cricket in similar conditions.
“Yeah, obviously I think it’s a very proud moment as a team, and we showed our character, and we were disciplined, as you mentioned, in the first Test, and we need to be consistent. I believe if we are able to get more chances, similar kind of conditions here, it will help us, and that’s what we want,” he said.
Shanto also stressed that Bangladesh needs greater exposure to overseas Test cricket to accelerate their development.
“Not long, long term, like 23 years of coming here and playing two Test matches. It’s not easy. So if we have that chance to play every single year, it will help us to improve our game,” he said.
–IANS
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