Darwin, Aug 14 (V7N) – Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck his maiden Test century with a composed 101 off 197 balls, guiding Bangladesh into a commanding position against Australia on Day 2 of the first Test at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin.
A day after Hasan Mahmud's career-best six-wicket haul bowled Australia out for 198, Tanzid became the first Bangladesh batter to score a Test century on Australian soil, negotiating the pace, bounce and movement generated by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Beau Webster on a green-looking surface that eased for batting as the day progressed.
Playing only his second Test, the left-handed opener showed unwavering resolve throughout his innings. He reached his first fifty off 102 balls with five fours, before accelerating to his second fifty in just 86 balls, adding three more boundaries and a six. He completed the milestone in the 64th over when he pushed off-spinner Nathan Lyon towards long-on for a single.
Thanks to Tanzid's century, Bangladesh took the lead and comfortably went past the 300-run mark, taking their lead to three figures. Tanzid shared a 102-run partnership with Mominul Haque for the second wicket before Mominul was dismissed for 49 – the stand falling just short of Bangladesh's highest second-wicket partnership in Australia.
Tanzid's innings eventually ended at 101 when he attempted to hit Lyon for six but was caught at long-off. However, his knock was not entirely chanceless, as he was reprieved on 62 when Steve Smith failed to hold a chance at slip – a miss that ultimately proved costly for Australia.
The 25-year-old has already established himself in Bangladesh's white-ball teams, having played 40 ODIs and 53 T20Is, with a century and nine fifties in ODIs and 13 fifties in T20Is.
While Tanzid completed his century, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto missed out on one despite coming agonisingly close, dismissed for 84. But with Bangladesh's lead growing, the visitors now hold genuine hope of winning a historic Test match on Australian soil.
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