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DARWIN: Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes his team is ready for the pace and bounce of Australian conditions as the visitors prepare for their first Test on Australian soil in more than two decades. Bangladesh will face Australia in Darwin in their first Test in the country since 2003. The unfamiliar conditions are expected to provide a major challenge, particularly against an Australian attack capable of generating significant pace and bounce. Bangladesh’s preparations suffered an early setback when they were bowled out for just 54 against a Cricket Australia XI in a practice match. Shanto, however, insisted the result had not damaged the team’s confidence after spending around 10 to 12 days preparing in Darwin. “Tackling the bounce is the key,” Shanto said at his pre-match press conference, adding that Bangladesh had spent recent months preparing on bouncy pitches at home. The captain acknowledged that the opening phase against the new ball could be Bangladesh’s toughest test but urged his batters to remain disciplined and trust their natural game. Bangladesh arrive with reasons for optimism. They defeated Australia 2-1 in an ODI series in June, securing their first bilateral series victory over the 2023 ODI World Cup champions. The matches were played on relatively quick pitches, giving the visitors useful experience before their Test assignment. Their improvement has also been reflected in the World Test Championship standings. Bangladesh currently sit fourth after completing a 2-0 Test series victory over Pakistan in May, compared with seventh place in the previous WTC cycle. Shanto said the team had made steady progress, particularly with the ball, but believed greater consistency from the batting unit could take Bangladesh to another level. The visitors are also considering a combination of three fast bowlers and two frontline spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. Mehidy heads into the match with confidence after scoring a century in the tour game. Shanto expects the Darwin pitch to offer opportunities for both batters and bowlers. “There’s grass on the wicket, but it’s a good wicket where both batters and bowlers will find help,” he said. For Bangladesh, the Test represents more than a difficult overseas assignment. It is an opportunity to measure their recent progress against one of cricket’s strongest teams in conditions that demand patience, discipline and adaptability.

LONDON: England all-rounder Will Jacks produced a moment of breathtaking athleticism during The Hundred 2026, pulling off an extraordinary catch that left spectators and commentators stunned at Lord’s. The remarkable effort came during the clash between London Spirit and MI London, when South African batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius launched a powerful shot towards long-off. Pretorius, who had just brought up his half-century, appeared to have found the boundary with the lofted strike. But Jacks had other plans. Standing close to the boundary, Jacks timed his jump perfectly and managed to prevent the ball from clearing the ropes. With incredible awareness, he knocked the ball back into play while making sure his feet did not touch the boundary line. What happened next turned an already impressive piece of fielding into something extraordinary. Jacks quickly returned into the field, threw himself into a full-length dive and completed the catch with one hand. The entire sequence happened in a matter of seconds, leaving both the crowd and commentators struggling to believe what they had witnessed. The stunning effort quickly became one of the talking points of the match, with video footage spreading rapidly across social media. Fans praised Jacks for combining athleticism, awareness and remarkable hand-eye coordination in a single piece of fielding. Boundary catches are often difficult enough because players must balance their movements while keeping their feet away from the rope. Jacks’ effort was even more impressive because he first had to save the ball from going for six before returning to complete the catch. Commentators hailed the effort as an unbelievable catch, while fans began sharing replays of the moment online. The spectacular dismissal provided another reminder of the increasingly athletic standard of modern short-format cricket, where a single moment of brilliance in the field can change the momentum of a game. For Jacks, however, the catch was more than just a highlight. It was a stunning display of awareness, agility and courage — and one that could easily go down as one of The Hundred’s standout fielding moments of the season.