Smith’s confession: Lessons not learnt Visitors could opt for three spinners in Chittagong
DEJECTED After horror tour of India, Australia crashed to a humiliating 20run defeat against Bangladesh in Mirpur
Australia’s disappointing first innings in Mirpur and their failure to learn from previous mistakes were to blame for a first Test loss against Bangladesh, says Steve Smith.
The Tigers had never tasted victory in four previous meetings with Australia, but continued their impressive home form to record a 20-run win on day four.
Smith’s side were always behind the curve after being bowled out for 217 in the first innings, a total that gave Bangladesh a 43-run lead that proved crucial in the end.
Australia’s skipper acknowledged the lack of a warm-up match due to rain in Mirpur was far from ideal, but chose to blame their inability to learn from previous errors as the key to their downfall.
“We made a few errors, a few guys getting out in ways they’ve got out before and not learning from their mistakes, which was a bit disappointing,” Smith told a media conference.
“You’ve got to keep trying to learn and keep trying to get better in these conditions.
“Obviously we didn’t have a tour game but I’m not making an excuse of that, the facilities we had in the nets were fantastic, it was good practice.
“The guys just need to be able to adapt better, particularly in the first innings, second innings runs are so difficult to get in the subcontinent and you’ve really got to make the most of the first innings and we weren’t able to do so.
“A few guys got starts and we weren’t able to go on with it, we needed to get a lead there and we weren’t able capitalise on that and get in front of the game at any point so we were always chasing our tail.
“At times it was good the way we were able to fight back and get ourselves back into the game, but we weren’t able to close things out.”
And the skipper did not absolve himself of blame, adding either he or David Warner - who shared a 130-run stand to get Australia within 107 - should have anchored their run chase to a successful conclusion.
“We (mith and Warner) had a good partnership,” he said. “We were going well and it was up to one of us to be there at the end and guide the team home.
“We were right in the game, but another collapse, I think 8-86 or something like that. It’s disappointing that we had another one of those collapses.” Australian newspapers were scating in their attack of the Steve Smith-led boys, terming them as “overpaid prima donnas”.
While applauding Bangladesh’s feat, Australia’s media focused on the huge financial disparity between the two sides.
“What happened in Dhaka was on one hand wonderful for world cricket and on the other embarrassing for a pack of overpaid Former Australia skipper Allan Border has suggested that wicketkeeper Matthew Wade can make way for Peter Handscomb in the second Test of the ongoing series against Bangladesh, thus opening up a spot for an additional player in the side. “I think Matty Wade’s position in the side is another question mark,” Border told Fox Sports News. “He really struggled behind the stumps, which is his key role, and again with the bat. So they may look at putting Handscomb in as the wicketkeeper and playing an extra batsman.” “I thought (Wade’s) keeping was improving, but once you go to the subcontinent you really test your skills out there. It’s difficult, but 30 byes in that last Test match was pretty telling, wasn’t it? He’s not producing enough runs with the bat to compensate for the keeping. So he’s the one under the most pressure,” he added.
Matthew Wade had scored just nine runs in two innings besides giving away 30 byes in the Test, which seems to have been extremely crucial given the victory margin. However, to his defence, Mushfiqur Rahim, the experienced Bangladesh skipper also had 22 byes against his name.
It was a difficult surface to bat on as it had tested the skills of the batsmen and it did the same for players behind the wicket. The total of 52 byes was the highest conceded in a Test in more than a century among Tests that had less than 350 overs of play.
Border refused to name Hand- scomb as a long-term solution but wanted him to fit in only as a stopgap role. But if Handscomb is made to do the duty behind the wicket, it might also give Steve Smith an option to rope in an extra bowler given the kind of turn the pitch had provided in the first test. Josh Hazlewood is injured and Steve O’Keefe may get a chance. Last year in Pune, when Aussies toured India, O’Keefe had produced match figures of 12/70 to stop the hosts’ juggernaut and win the first Test. Although they went on to lose the series, but O’Keefe had proved his worth in subcontinental conditions.
Smith, thus, might just opt for the gamble given that spinners picked up 34 of the 40 wickets that fell in the first Test. For the record, it would be the first time in around 40 years that an Australian side would field a playing XI with just one recognised fast bowler (Pat Cummins).
Smith, however, said he would give it a thought. “We’ve got the options to do what we want to do in the second Test match,” Smith said.
We made a few errors, a few guys getting out in ways they’ve got out before and not learning from their mistakes, which was a bit disappointing. You’ve got to keep trying... We didn’t have a tour game but I’m not making an excuse, the facilities we had in the nets were fantastic, it was good practice. The guys just need to be able to adapt.