Shoriful Islam in action for Bangladesh cricket team© Getty Images
Bangladesh cricket team fast bowler Shoriful Islam scripted history during the second Test match against Australia on Sunday. Although Bangladesh suffered a crushing defeat in Mackay, the pacer impressed everyone by picking up 7 wickets for 48 runs in 15 overs. Thanks to the brilliant spell of bowling, Shoriful became the first left-arm pacer in 140 years to take 7 wickets in an innings of a Test match against Australia. The last time it happened was way back in 1886 when England’s Dick Barlow finished with figures of 7/44 in Manchester. Overall, the best bowling figures against Australia in Tests belongs to England’s Jim Laker who dismissed all 10 Australian batters for just 53 runs in the second innings of the Manchester Test in July 1956..
Bangladesh tasted another piece of history when they achieved a historic outcome in the ICC Test rankings for the teams following the recent update by the global governing body on Sunday. The Bangla Tigers, who famously defeated Australia in the first Test but lost the second one, have jumped three places in the Test standings to reach No.6.
This marked the first instance of Bangladesh rising above the No.9 spot in the Test rankings as Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto called it a “huge achievement”. “Of course (reaching No. 6) is good news,” Shanto said after his side lost the second Test to Australia by an innings and 51 runs. “I am just hearing about it. To reach No 6 in the Test ranking is a huge achievement. It would have been better if we could have played better cricket in this Test match.
Bangladesh went past West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to reach No.6 and have a rating of 78 now. Shanto also appealed for Bangladesh to play more Test matches in Australia, as the recently concluded 1-1 series was their first in Australia after 23 years. “We are here after 23 years (first Test series in Australia since 2003). It’s not easy to compete in this condition against this quality of team. If we are able to come here consistently, then the players can get an idea of playing here. They will have more experience playing in Australia. They can adjust to this kind of condition and play good cricket,” he said.
(With IANS inputs)
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