Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc and Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz had an exchange during a tense end to the second day of the first Test in Darwin on Friday.The incident took place during Starc’s 21st over, the 103rd over of Bangladesh’s innings. Miraz hit the ball towards point and set off for a single, but while following the ball, appeared to run through the protected area in the middle of the pitch.Umpire Kumar Dharmasena immediately stepped in and warned Miraz about running on the centre strip.Miraz explained that he had not seen Starc because he was watching the ball. Starc was unhappy with the explanation and told the Bangladesh batter to stay away from the protected area.Batters, like bowlers, are expected to avoid the protected central area of the pitch. Bowlers must stay away from it during their follow-through, while batters are expected to avoid it when running between the wickets.Miraz initially looked towards Starc as he started running, but then turned his attention to the ball. When he looked forward again, he was almost face-to-face with Starc.Rather than going around the fast bowler, Miraz took the shorter route through the centre of the pitch, prompting Dharmasena to intervene before the run had been completed.Miraz then raised his arm towards Starc and explained that he could not see where he was going while watching the ball.“It’s my follow-through, now your follow-through. Get off the wicket,” Starc could be heard saying while pointing at the Bangaldesh right-hander.“I can’t see, I can’t see. I didn’t see,” Miraz explained to Dharmasena.As Starc walked back to his mark, he could again be heard saying: “You’re not in Bangladesh now, hey?”Former Australia captain and Channel 7 commentator Ricky Ponting felt Miraz had not deliberately run through the protected area.“Yeah, I’m not sure that was on purpose,” Ponting said.“By the time he looked up, Starc was in his way and he just opted to go the centre of the wicket side of the fast bowler.”Bangladesh ended Day 2 in control, reaching 6-351 and taking a 153-run first-innings lead with four wickets still in hand.Miraz was unbeaten on 32, while Hasan Mahmud was 13 not out from 76 balls. Hasan had taken six wickets on the opening day.Tanzid Hasan, playing only his second Test, scored 101 to put Bangladesh in a position to push for what could become their biggest win in Test cricket.
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