Shoriful bowls through pain to match Starc's six-for

Shoriful Islam bowled through discomfort in his neck, but it did little to stop the Bangladesh pacer from bagging a six-wicket haul against Australia. The left-arm pacer picked up 6 for 35 on the opening day of the second Test despite experiencing pain that began around his elbow and spread upwards after he had been hit while batting.

A member of the Bangladesh team management confirmed to Cricbuzz on Saturday (August 22) that Shoriful had no major issue after being struck by Pat Cummins, but felt uncomfortable when he came on to bowl.

"There was no major issue but he was feeling uncomfortable as the pain spread from the elbow to the upper part of the body," confirmed the official without elaborating further. Shoriful himself did not want to make a fuss about it, particularly after being on cloud nine following his brilliant performance with the ball.

Ahead of the second Test, there had been plenty of talk about changes to the XI that had helped Bangladesh earn success in the opening Test in Darwin. However, the team management kept faith in Shoriful ahead of Ebadot Hossain, taking the wind factor into consideration and Shoriful's ability to swing the ball.

Shoriful not only repaid that faith but also helped Bangladesh salvage something from a miserable opening day with the bat, as the tourists were bundled out for 64. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc was the wrecker-in-chief with 6 for 12, and Shoriful said he took a leaf out of his book, along with the other pace bowlers, after carefully observing the way both pace attacks operated from the dressing room.

"When I was playing age-level cricket, I saw him (Starc) and I liked him. His bowling and swing," said Shoriful. "Now I am playing with him and so I am a bit excited. But he got six and I also got six and so I am even more happy.

"In Australian conditions, fast bowlers always do very well. Their fast bowler Starc has been doing well for a long time. I was watching and seeing which lengths would give the bowlers a little more advantage, and things like that," he said.

Shoriful also credited Bangladesh's batters for helping him understand the right lines and lengths. "Especially with the batsmen, we talked more because they are batting, and they know better which lengths make the ball a little difficult to play. Then we always talk, chat with each other about bowling and things like that.

"When I came here to play Test cricket I saw lots of videos and prepared for that, how to bowl to every batsman, so I got success. That's it," said Shoriful.

Shoriful began his demolition act with the wicket of Travis Head, squaring him up with a scrambled-seam delivery that came back sharply to take the inside edge after he had set the batter up with an attempted yorker. He then produced a dream delivery to dismiss Steven Smith, going through the Australian great's defence after pitching on the fourth-stump line and sharply moving in to the right-hander.

Shoriful said the wind was playing a big part. "We were bowling from that side, there was a little bit of wind there, and because of our height, the bowling was swinging a little more," said Shoriful. "Here, as you are also watching the game, with the new ball there was always a little swing. It was swinging for quite a long time. We also tried to take advantage of that."

Shoriful added that the game was not yet over and felt Bangladesh could still put up a fight if their batting unit performed better in the second innings. Australia ended the day at 165 for 8, leading by 11 runs, with Cameron Green batting on 51 and Nathan Lyon for company.

"The one message in the dressing room was that the game is still not over. They have a chance and so do we. Only the first day has gone. Yes, our batting was a little… our situation was a little bad today, but they are also in their conditions, they are Australia. Inshallah, let's see what happens, and how much we can stand up in the second innings," he said.