Steve Smith has done his part.
The problem for Australia is that Bangladesh doesn’t seem interested in letting him save the day.
Australia are staring at a seriously uncomfortable situation in Darwin after Bangladesh took control of the first Test. At the end of Day 3, Australia were 161 for 4 in their second innings, still trailing Bangladesh by 67 runs.
And once again, Steve Smith was right in the middle of the drama.
Smith Keeps Showing Up
When Australia were in trouble in the first innings, Smith stood up with a gritty 71.
It wasn’t enough.
Australia were bowled out for 198, with Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud tearing through the batting lineup with six wickets. Smith was basically fighting a one-man battle while wickets kept falling around him.
Then came Bangladesh’s response.
And it was brutal.
The visitors piled up 426, giving themselves a massive 228-run first-innings lead.
Australia needed somebody to step up again.
Smith tried.
He made 44 before Mehidy Hasan Miraz finally ended his resistance.
This time, though, Australia didn’t completely collapse.
Cameron Green and Alex Carey managed to steady things late in the day, leaving Australia with at least a chance of fighting their way back into the match.
Bangladesh Smells Blood
This isn’t just another Test match for Bangladesh.
A victory here would be enormous.
Bangladesh have never won a Test match in Australia, and they’re now just six wickets away from putting their name into the history books.
That’s what makes Australia’s position so uncomfortable.
They’re not simply trying to avoid losing a Test.
They’re trying to stop Bangladesh from pulling off one of the biggest wins in the country’s Test history.
And Bangladesh clearly isn’t backing down.
Smith Has Helped — But He Can’t Do Everything
It’s easy to look at Smith’s scores and say he hasn’t done enough.
That’s not really fair.
A 71 in the first innings followed by 44 in the second isn’t a disaster, especially when the rest of Australia’s top order has struggled.
But that’s also the problem.
Australia can’t keep asking Smith to be the guy who walks in, absorbs the pressure and somehow fixes everything.
At some point, the rest of the batting lineup has to take responsibility.
This time, Green and Carey have given Australia something to work with.
But 67 runs is still a deficit.
And Bangladesh has already shown that it can make Australia’s batting look very uncomfortable.
There’s Still a Way Out
Australia aren’t finished.
Not even close.
They have six wickets left, and there is still plenty of batting to come. If Green and Carey can build a substantial partnership on Day 4, Australia could completely change the mood of this match.
But Bangladesh has earned the right to believe.
They’ve bowled Australia out for 198.
They’ve scored 426.
They’ve removed Smith twice.
And they’re now sitting just six wickets away from something Bangladesh cricket fans would remember for years.
Australia walked into this Test expecting to be the team in control.
Three days later, they’re the ones trying to survive.
And Steve Smith?
He’s already done his bit.
Now Australia needs somebody else to take the fight to Bangladesh.
Because right now, history is knocking on the door.
