Aussies stumped for subcontinent answers

Australian vice-captain David Warner admits his side are searching for answers after losing the first Test against Bangladesh.

Australia's David Warner

David Warner admits Australia are searching for answers after losing the first Test to Bangladesh. (AAP)

Vice-captain David Warner admits there are no easy answers to Australia's subcontinent batting woes, with another disastrous collapse handing Bangladesh victory in the first Test.

Australia's batsmen again proved to be fragile on a tough turning track, losing 8-86 either side of lunch on Wednesday's fourth day in Dhaka to hand Bangladesh a famous 20-run victory.

With just two wins from 23 Tests in the past decade in Asia, Australia's recent record is worse than any other touring side apart from from minnows Zimbabwe.

Warner banished his subcontinent demons with an inspired second-innings century but it was a rare positive for Australia's batsmen.

Usman Khawaja is at risk of being dumped for next week's second Test in Chittagong after surviving just eight balls across two innings in Dhaka.

Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade barely lasted longer and was trapped lbw twice, while Peter Handscomb was unable to build on solid starts much like his debut tour of India.

Similar collapses of 6-11 against India in Bangalore, 5-64 in Dharamsala and 8-52 against Sri Lanka in Galle showed the performance in Dhaka was far from isolated.

But Warner admitted there was no easy fix for an Australian side desperate to avoid a 2-0 series defeat that would send them tumbling to No.6 in the world Test rankings.

"What is the answer? I'm not sure," Warner said.

"But you have got to dig deep as much as you can in these conditions.

"You see the momentum swing massively. You can be on top and have a partnership of 100 or 150, and then two quick wickets and you are back on your haunches again. You let the opposition in.

"So you can never settle; you can never rest."

Questions remain about whether the Australians were mentally prepared for their first series on Bangladeshi soil since 2006.

A marathon pay dispute meant the tour was only confirmed a fortnight before the team's departure, but Warner was adamant the Australians had arrived in Dhaka focused and ready.

"I don't think at all that the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) stuff had anything to do with preparations or our mindset," Warner said.

"We had a great time up in Darwin. The facilities are fantastic and they are exceptional hosts for us to come over.

"We did all our preparation in Dubai leading into India, we played out of our skin there as well, but we keep on losing those clumps in a row ... that's upon us as batsmen to keep going on with that and be accountable."

HOW AUSTRALIA'S RECENT TEST RECORD IN ASIA STACKS UP:

SOUTH AFRICA: 7 wins, 6 losses, 8 draws (win-loss ratio: 1.166)

WEST INDIES: 4 wins, 8 losses, 5 draws (0.500)

ENGLAND: 6 wins, 14 losses, 6 draws (0.428)

NEW ZEALAND: 3 wins, 10 losses, 6 draws (0.300)

AUSTRALIA: 2 wins, 16 losses, 5 draws (0.125)

ZIMBABWE: 0 wins, 4 losses (0.000)

* Tests played by overseas teams in Asia since Jan 2007

(Source: ESPNcricinfo)


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Source: AAP



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