The Prague Post - Bowling great Donald warns Bangladesh that Australia will hit back hard

Bangladesh stunned the hosts in the opening Test, winning by nine wickets for their first victory on Australian soil and only their second against the Aussies.

Donald, who was the fast-bowling coach of Bangladesh before stepping down in 2023, warned that a wounded Australia would come back hard in the second Test, seeking to avoid a rare series defeat.

"Australia are going to come with everything in their arsenal to try and demolish Bangladesh (in the second Test)," Donald, 59, told AFP in an audio message from South Africa.

"It's easy in a two-Test series to say 'well, it's nothing; we can't lose a series', and to be defensive and to think 'well... if we manage to draw the game, we've done our job'."

Donald said Bangladesh must "keep believing in the same blueprint" they played with in Darwin.

The former quick said the most striking aspect of the Darwin win was the character shown by Bangladesh after being bowled out for 54 in a warm-up game.

"After you get bowled out for 54 in the game before, you feel a bit blistered, to be honest. But that response was just brilliant," he said.

Donald, who helped nurture Bangladesh's emerging fast bowlers during his two-year stint as coach, heaped praise on the current pace attack, led by Hasan Mahmud.

"They bowled with dominance. Hasan is in unbelievable form right now. I'm so pleased for him," Donald said.

"When I first saw him a good few years ago in the nets, I thought, this kid's got skill. He has got just beautiful control; lands it on a sixpence; can swing it both ways."

Donald said the performance of Bangladesh bowlers in Darwin showed the depth of their talent pool, particularly with express-quick Nahid Rana sidelined through injury.

"What makes a bowling attack depth so potent is the fact that if Nahid Rana is out, a guy like Ebadot Hossain can come in and do what he does," he said.

"That tells a lot about the depth of a bowling attack, and that's cool to see -- that Bangladesh are creating depth in their bowling line-up."

The second Test starts Saturday in Mackay, Queensland.

D.Kovar--TPP