Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam created history during the second Test against Australia on Sunday, even as his side suffered a comprehensive defeat in Mackay.
Shoriful delivered a sensational spell, taking 7 wickets for 48 runs in 15 overs. With this performance, he became the first left-arm fast bowler in 140 years to claim seven wickets in a Test innings against Australia.
The previous left-arm pacer to achieve the feat was England’s Dick Barlow, who returned figures of 7/44 against Australia in Manchester in 1886. The best-ever bowling figures against Australia in Test cricket remain with England’s Jim Laker, who took all 10 Australian wickets for 53 runs in the second innings of the Manchester Test in July 1956.
Despite losing the second Test, Bangladesh gained another historic achievement in the latest ICC Test rankings update. The team climbed three places to No. 6 after splitting the two-Test series 1-1 with Australia.
Bangladesh’s rise to sixth was the first time the team had moved above ninth position in the Test rankings. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto called the development a “huge achievement” but admitted that the team would have preferred a stronger performance in the second Test.
Bangladesh now sit ahead of the West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with a rating of 78.
Shanto also stressed the importance of Bangladesh playing more Test matches in Australia. The recently concluded series was Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia in 23 years.
“It’s not easy to compete in these conditions against this quality of team. If we are able to come here consistently, the players will gain more experience, understand the conditions better and learn how to play good cricket in Australia,” Shanto said.