Bangladesh maintained their firm grip on the first Test against Australia and moved closer to achieving the unthinkable after an absorbing third day at the Marrara Stadium in Darwin on Saturday.

Australia were 161-4 at the close of day’s play in their second innings, still 67 runs behind, after Bangladesh secured a 228-run first-innings lead, with Josh Hazlewood taking 6-89 on his return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff.

Cameron Green—who had luck on his side when an inside edge off Taskin Ahmed struck his leg stump, but the bails remained unmoved—remained unbeaten on 43, with Alex Carey batting on 19.

Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh’s hero with the ball in the first innings, struck twice before tea to dismiss both Australian openers. Jack Weatherald and Travis Head were bowled in similar fashion, chopping on while attempting cuts too close to their bodies.

However, Australia’s lone fighter from the first innings, Steven Smith, stood tall again as he began to dig in. He was initially well supported by Marnus Labuschagne, who looked far more assured than in the first innings.

Smith and Labuschagne both survived DRS reviews as well. Bangladesh’s review against Labuschagne for lbw off Taskin was turned down as the ball was going over the stumps. Smith, given caught behind off Taskin, reviewed immediately, with the TV umpire ruling for him.

Taijul provided Bangladesh with the crucial breakthrough when he bowled Labuschagne for 31 runs to claim his first wicket of the match. Variations of pace and length did the trick as Labuschagne missed an 85kph delivery.

Smith carried on, this time alongside Green, but his resistance ended when Miraz joined the party. Australia’s most experienced batter reached for a full-length delivery and chipped it back towards Miraz, who dived to his right to take a sharp catch. Smith departed for 44.

Earlier, Bangladesh were bowled out for 426 after resuming the day on 351-6, with Hazlewood claiming all four wickets to fall on the day and reaching 300 Test wickets in the process, becoming only the ninth Australian bowler to achieve the feat.

He struck twice early in the morning as Australia looked to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings quickly. Hasan was trapped lbw in the fourth over, ending his 28.2-over partnership with Miraz.

Taijul followed soon after, caught by Green at gully for 17 off 23 balls, having hit a four and a six.

But Australia could not make further inroads before lunch, allowing Bangladesh to strengthen their already commanding position.

Miraz struck a composed fifty and added 64 runs with Taijul and Taskin, before his partnership with Hasan yielded 46 runs.

Miraz brought up his 10th Test fifty off 117 balls and finished the first session in emphatic fashion, launching Green over the boundary for six off the final delivery before lunch.

However, he fell soon after the break when he edged behind. Ebadot Hossain was also caught behind, after hitting Nathan Lyon a six.

Although Bangladesh’s scoring rate remained modest, they continued to make Australia toil. The hosts dropped two more catches, taking their tally of missed opportunities in the innings to five.

Taskin, on 10, was given another life when Smith put down a straightforward chance at deep backward square leg. In the same over, Travis Head also failed to hold a difficult chance offered by Miraz while running backwards.