Shakib spins Bangladesh to upset over Aussies

AUSTRALIAN captain Steve Smith says there are no excuses after a disastrous 20run defeat to minnow Bangladesh in a gripping first Test in Dhaka.

Set an imposing 265 to win, the visitors collapsed to be bowled out for 244 soon after lunch yesterday, the fourth day, with man-of-the-match Shakib Al Hasan claiming 5-85 to finish with 10 wickets.

It is Bangladesh’s first Test victory over Australia. A similar triumph in next week’s second and final Test in Chittagong would result in Australia tumbling to No.6 in the world rankings.

David Warner’s aggressive century had given Australia hope of achieving its secondhighest fourth-innings chase in Asia.

But the visitors lost five wickets in the final hour before lunch and were unable to hold on in the following session despite a valiant unbeaten 33 from tailender Pat Cummins.

The match unravelled for Australia during a disastrous first innings in which it fell to 4-33 on the way to 217, with Warner, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja all dismissed cheaply.

Australian skipper Smith said there was no excuse for his side failing to adjust to the conditions after making great strides earlier this year during the tour of India.

“I think we made a few errors, a few guys getting out in ways they’ve got out before and not learning from their mistakes, which is really disappointing,” he said.

“But you’ve got to keep trying to learn and keep trying to get better in these conditions. “It’s a difficult place to play. “We’re a young team and a team that is hopefully going to continue to improve.”

An embarrassed Australia lost to a side ranked No.9 in the world, who had only won nine of 100 Tests.

The first Test between the two sides in more than a decade had loomed as an opportunity for Australia to overcome its dreadful record on the subcontinent and notch their first series win in Asia since beating Sri Lanka 1-0 in 2011. But for all its dominance at home, Australia showed it remained a fragile side overseas that could be exposed by quality spinners.

Shakib confirmed his status as the world’s No.1-ranked allrounder across all three formats, taking five-wicket hauls in both digs after topscoring with 84 in the first innings.