Australian cricket team in Bangladesh in 2017
International cricket tour
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The Australia cricket team toured Bangladesh in August and September 2017 to play two Test matches.[1] It was Australia's first tour to Bangladesh since 2011.[2] Bangladesh won the first Test by 20 runs, their first ever victory against Australia in a Test match.[3] Following the win, Bangladesh's captain Mushfiqur Rahim said "It's a great feeling beating Australia, and I think it was a great effort by the boys".[4] Australia's Steve Smith said "I think they're a dangerous side, particularly here at home".[5] Australia won the second Test by 7 wickets, drawing the series 1-1.[6]
| Australian cricket team in Bangladesh in 2017 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 | ||
| Bangladesh | Australia | ||
| Dates | 22 August – 8 September 2017 | ||
| Captains | Mushfiqur Rahim | Steve Smith | |
| Test series | |||
| Result | 2-match series drawn 1–1 | ||
| Most runs | Tamim Iqbal (270) | David Warner (351) | |
| Most wickets | Shakib Al Hasan (12) | Nathan Lyon (22) | |
| Player of the series | David Warner and Nathan Lyon (Aus) | ||
Background
The Australia cricket team were scheduled to tour Bangladesh from 28 September to 21 October 2015 to play a tour match and two Test matches.[7]
A day before the tour was scheduled to start, the Australian team did not leave their country as Cricket Australia (CA) received information about security concerns.[8] The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that they were surprised by the delay.[9] Sean Carroll, security manager for CA, met with the Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh government to discuss the concerns.[10] Despite the continuing concerns regarding the tour, Bangladesh announced their squad on 28 September.[11] The BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said: "we are expecting all the matches to be played on schedule".[12] On 30 September the Australian cricketers were sent back to their state squads in readiness for the Matador Cup.[13] The BCB said that "the Bangladesh government has committed to additional security on top of the substantial and elaborate arrangements in the BCB's standard Security Plan for international cricket".[14]
On 1 October, Cricket Australia confirmed that the tour had been postponed with a view to re-arrange the matches for a later date.[15][16] In April 2016, it indicated that it was hoping the tour would go ahead in 2017.[17] In June 2017, Cricket Australia confirmed the tour would take place in August 2017.[1]
Following England's tour to Bangladesh in October 2016, James Sutherland, CEO of Cricket Australia (CA), said the chances of Australia playing in Bangladesh were "quite high".[18] In April 2017, both CA and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) were negotiating the fixtures for the tour.[19] The BCB's chief executive said they "are now working on the schedule and other details with CA".[20] In May 2017, security assessments took place.[2] Later the same month, Cricket Australia sent a security team to Bangladesh to finalise arrangements for the tour.[21]
Representatives from both CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) undertook a pre-tour security visit on 24 July 2017.[22] However, there was an ongoing pay dispute between Australian cricketers, CA and the ACA, with the BCB being informed of the possibility of the tour not going ahead.[23] Earlier in July, the Australia A cricket team had pulled out of a tri-series tournament in South Africa because of the dispute.[24] Australia's Test squad said they would attend a training camp in Darwin ahead of the series, but would not fly to Bangladesh unless there was a resolution to the pay dispute.[25] On 1 August 2017, Australia's captain Steve Smith said that the pay negotiations were progressing, but they needed to be finalised before the tour starts.[26] The following day, a deal was reached in the pay dispute, allowing for the Test series to go ahead as planned.[27][28] The Australian team arrived in Bangladesh on 18 August 2017, under heavy security.[29]
Prior to the tour starting, the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, the venue for the first tour match between the Australians and a BCB XI was waterlogged.[30] The BCB looked at two alternative venues to play the fixture, in case the ground was not ready in time.[30] However, one day before the scheduled start of the match, it was called off, because of the waterlogging.[31]
Squads
Before the series started, Mitchell Swepson was added to the squad and Jackson Bird replaced James Pattinson.[34][35] Mominul Haque was added to Bangladesh's squad for the first Test, after Mosaddek Hossain suffered an eye infection.[36] Steve O'Keefe was added to Australia's squad ahead of the second Test, as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood, who was injured.[37]
Tour match: BCB XI v Australia
Test series
1st Test
27–31 August 2017 Scorecard |
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- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal (Ban) both played their 50th Test match.[38]
- Nathan Lyon took his 250th wicket in Tests.[39]
- Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) became the fourth bowler to take a five-wicket haul against all nine Test-playing sides.[40][n 1]
- This was Bangladesh's first win against Australia in Tests.[3]
2nd Test
4–8 September 2017 Scorecard |
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- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- No play was possible before lunch on day 3 due to rain.
- Nathan Lyon's match figures of 13/154 were the best by an Australian bowler in Asia.[41]
- Nathan Lyon also took the most wickets in a two-Test series by an Australian bowler (22).[42]
Notes
- Twelve teams have Test status, with Afghanistan and Ireland being awarded it in 2017. Neither team had yet played their first Test.