Australian Batsmen Falter on Day One Against Bangladesh; Smith Survives Multiple Chances

Australia's batting lineup faltered on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh, with several key players failing to capitalize on their opportunities. Opener Jake Weatherald, playing in front of his home crowd in Darwin, was unable to impress, scoring an unconvincing 23 off 37 deliveries. This marks his 10th score below 50 in 11 Test innings, raising further questions about his position at the top of the order.

Cameron Green, an all-rounder under pressure to perform, also had a brief and ultimately disappointing innings. After showing some attacking intent with a few well-timed drives and a six, Green played one shot too many and was caught just before the lunch break, departing for a run-a-ball 13. His dismissal left Australia in a precarious position at 4-74 at lunch.

Veteran batsman Steve Smith was fortunate to survive multiple close calls early in his innings. He edged the ball through the slips on two separate occasions, including one instance where the ball flew through a gap between second slip and gully. Despite these scares, Smith managed to reach the lunch break unscathed, though his typically assured presence at the crease was notably absent.

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Steve Smith called a Bangladesh bowler a "peanut" for making an appeal, but he could probably have labelled a couple of his batting colleagues as such on a dire batting display for Australia.