Australia had an indifferent time in the field in the first innings of the ongoing Darwin Test against Bangladesh, and a rare fielding lapse topped it all.

Bangladesh amassed 426 runs in reply to Australia's 198, keeping the hosts in the field for as many as 138 overs. This was the longest innings by a visiting team down under since India batted for 167.2 overs in January 2019 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

As much as Bangladesh tackled the Australian bowlers brilliantly, the hosts also have themselves to blame for spending as long on the field. They dropped five catches, and their travails were epitomized by a rare fielding lapse that the umpires spotted to call a no-ball.

The incident happened in the 126th over of the innings during the first session on the third day. Australia had employed a short-ball plan against Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed, with Bangladesh eight down at the stage. Accordingly, captain Pat Cummins set a fine deep fine-leg, a squarer fine-leg and a deep square leg.

Marnus Labuschagne was fielding at deep square leg, but needed to be in front of square for the ball to be deemed legal. He was staioned behind square, however, when the delivery was bowled, and it was thus adjudged a no-ball by the on-field umpires as per a rule introduced to prevent teams from defensive bowling back in 1947.

As per clause 28.4 of the World Test Championship playing conditions, "At the instant of the bowler’s delivery there shall not be more than two fielders, other than the wicketkeeper, behind the popping crease on the on side. A fielder will be considered to be behind the popping crease unless the whole of his person, whether grounded or in the air, is in front of this line. In the event of infringement of this clause by any fielder, the striker’s end umpire shall call and signal no ball."

Bangladesh make Australia pay for dropping five catches

The no-ball due to the fielding lapse was just one of the mistakes Australia made in the first innings. A team that is normally superb in the field dropped as many as five catches, including that of centurion Tanzid Hasan. The Bangladesh opener was dropped in the second over of the innings by Nathan Lyon and then again in the 43rd over by Steve Smith, when he was on 62.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who frustrated the hosts with a dogged fifty, was also let off twice, once on the last ball of day two by Cameron Green and then later in the 129th over of the innings by Travis Head. Earlier in the same over, Smith dropped an absolute sitter at backward square leg to give Taskin Ahmed another life.

Australia finished Day 3 at 161-4, still trailing by 67 runs, and have an uphill task on their hands to set a competitive target for the visitors.

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