Bangladesh vs Australia 2017: Marks out of 10 for visitors

Bangladesh had been reduced to 117 for 5 by Australia on the first day at Chittagong. They fought hard to reach 305. Australia threatened to take it away again, at 298 for 3. Once again Bangladesh roared back, restricting Australia’s lead to 71. Australia, however, continued in a manner befitting of them: this time Bangladesh did worse, ambling to 43 for 5. There was a fightback, but that turned out to be inadequate: Bangladesh were simply not able to handle the relentless aggression of the Australian attack. Nathan Lyon, leader of the pack, opened bowling in each innings and finished with 13 for 154 in the Test. Australia avoided a series defeat for the first time in Asia in five tours and six years. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Bangladesh vs Australia 2017, 2nd Test at Chittagong

How did the Australians fare? Let us have a look.

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Nathan Lyon: 10/10 (12 runs at 4, 22 wickets at 14.31, 1 run out)

Take his batting away, and Lyon did not put a foot wrong in this series. To provide perspective, only Rangana Herath has ever taken more wickets in a 2-Test series; his 13 for 154 are the second-best figures for an Australian spinner; and, among other things, he now has most Test wickets in 2017. I am not even considering the run out of Mushfiqur Rahim at Mirpur, where Lyon deflected a violent straight-drive from Sabbir Rehman to the stumps…

David Warner: 9/10 (251 runs at 62.75, 3 catches, 1 run out)

If Lyon had been Australia’s wrecker-in-chief in the series, Warner was the man who had set things up for them with two contrasting hundreds. At Mirpur he launched a furious counterattack, scoring 112 in 135 balls. He fell with the score on 158, and Australia collapsed to 244. At Chittagong he got 123 (34 less than what Bangladesh got in the second innings), but Australia scored 298 during his stay. The direct throw to run out Mehidy Hasan at Chittagong deserves a mention as well. Bangladesh vs Australia: Marks out of 10 for hosts

Peter Handscomb: 7/10 (146 runs at 48.67, 4 catch)

Handscomb’s delirium-battling 82 at Chittagong was not his only defiant innings of the series. While that innings was special, he never actually failed. At Mirpur he scored a crucial 33 in the first innings, and fell to a brilliant catch for 15 in the second (remember, this was a low-scoring Test). As for the other innings, he was around when Glenn Maxwell finished things off. The catch to dismiss Shafiul Islam at Mirpur was special.

Ashton Agar: 7/10 (65 runs at 32.50, 7 wickets at 23.14)

Agar was Australia’s finest performer for the first two days of the series. He took 3 for 46 and then scored 41 not out to lift Australia from 144 for 8 to 217. He got 2 for 55 in the second innings but did little else of note at Chittagong. However, his initial burst was enough to give him those points. Bangladesh vs Australia, Part 3: So close yet so far for Bangladesh

Pat Cummins: 7/10 (62 runs at 31, 6 wickets at 29, 2 catches)

Cummins tore the heart out of Bangladesh on the first morning of the series with 3 wickets in his first 2 overs. He toiled hard on pitches that had nothing for him, and while he did not run through the line-up, he broke crucial partnerships. What was more, his 33 almost saw Australia over the line at Mirpur, while his catch to dismiss Mominul Haque at Chittagong was an excellent one, running in.

Steven Smith: 4/10 (119 runs at 29.75, 3 catches)

Such is Smith’s greatness that this was his worst series average since his debut series in 2010, where he had played as a leg-spin-bowling all-rounder and had still scored at 25 an innings. Yes, Smith failed here despite scoring 37, 58, and a 9-ball 16. He has raised the bar too high for himself. Bangladesh vs Australia, Part 1: Novice Bangladesh’s first visit to Australia

Glenn Maxwell: 4/10 (100 runs at 33.33, 1 wicket at 52, 1 catch)

Maxwell’s scores — 23, 14, 38, and 25* — bear testimony to how he has thrown starts away. Had he gritted it out even once in Mirpur he might have won it for Australia. He gets an extra point for getting Tamim Iqbal at Mirpur.

Matt Renshaw: 3/10 (76 runs at 19, 1 catch)

Renshaw batted with conviction in the first innings at Mirpur, but that was about it. He will need to do better to come out on top against a top-quality spin attack.

Matthew Wade: 3/10 (17 runs at 5.67, 7 catches, 3 stumpings)

Wade batted poorly, and that is being kind. However, he kept wickets efficiently in unfamiliar conditions. Four of his dismissals (catches of Imrul Kayes and Nasir Hossain at Mirpur and a catch of Shakib Al Hasan and a stumping of Mushfiqur Rahim at Chittagong) stood out. Has his glovework impressed the selectors enough to bench Peter Nevill in future? Only time will tell.

Hilton Cartwright: 2/10 (18 runs at 18)

Cartwright did not do too poorly, but it is unlikely that anyone will mention him in a post-series round-up. But then, it is not every day that you score 18 in a 23-run stand with Maxwell. He bowled a few overs as well.

Steve O’Keefe: 1/10 (8 runs, 2 wickets at 64)

Unfortunately for O’Keefe, he was left out on a track where he should have played. He looked rusty in the first innings at Chittagong, but looked an improved bowler in the second.

Josh Hazlewood: 0/10 (5 runs at 2.50, 1 catch)

Hazlewood broke down during the second innings at Mirpur. That was it.

Usman Khawaja: 0/10 (2 runs at 1, 2 catches)

Khawaja got out irresponsibly (and cheaply) twice at Mirpur. He took one of his two catches at fourth attempt. He was also spotted bowling medium-pace.