Lyon roars with four as Bangladesh struggle

CHITTAGONG

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed four wickets on a turning pitch to restrict Bangladesh to 155 for five at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Chittagong on Monday.

Lyon removed the first four batsmen — all trapped lbw — and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar got one as a three-pronged Australian spin attack took the battle to the hosts, who are up 1-0 in the two-Test series.

Australia suffered their first-ever Test defeat against Bangladesh last week, and they dropped a fast bowler in this match to strengthen their spin attack.

Two wickets fell in the post-lunch session as Lyon sent back Mominul Haque, who boasts the highest batting average of the Bangladesh team.

Agar got Shakib Al Hasan, whose heroics earned him man of the match in the first Test, before he could put on a repeat performance.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahman and middle-order batsman Sabbir Rahman took the side to tea without any further losses as they remained unbeaten on 29 and 24 respectively.

Opener Soumya Sarkar is Bangladesh's top scorer so far with 33, before he was out on the stroke of lunch.

Soumya and Mominul added 49 in 16 overs before Soumya was plumb in front to a skidding delivery by Lyon.

Tamim Iqbal, one of the architects of Bangladesh's historic 20-run victory over Australia, was dismissed for just nine.

Despite opening at his home ground, he never looked comfortable and before being dismissed, he was dropped at third slip by Glenn Maxwell off Pat Cummins, Australia's lone fast bowler.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and opted to bat first.

Bangladesh brought in Mominul in place of pace bowler Shafiul Islam.

Australia, attempting to draw the series, included spin bowling all-rounder Steve O'Keefe, who replaced injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.

Hilton Cartwright replaced out-of-sorts batsman Usman Khawaja, who scored just one run each in his two innings in the first Test.