Bangladesh collapse exposes batting woes ahead of Australia Tests

Bangladesh suffered a chastening defeat ahead of their two-Test series against Australia, collapsing for just 54 runs to lose their three-day warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI by an innings and 38 runs on Saturday.

The tourists were bowled out before lunch at Marrara Cricket Ground, with 22-year-old fast bowler Campbell Thompson claiming a remarkable eight wickets for 25 runs from 11 overs to complete a career-best performance.

The result provides an ominous backdrop to Bangladesh's Test campaign, with the tourists due to face a full-strength Australia side in Darwin from Thursday.

Australia's Test attack is expected to be led by captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, giving Bangladesh little time to address the batting problems exposed by the inexperienced CA XI attack.

Bangladesh had been in a competitive position after making 263 in their first innings, with all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz producing an unbeaten 109 to rescue his side from 105-5.

But the CA XI responded with 355, taking a 92-run first-innings lead and putting Bangladesh under pressure heading into the final day.

Tasmania-bound batter Teague Wyllie was the main architect of the Australian innings, scoring 130 from 177 balls and sharing a crucial 139-run partnership with Jake Doran, who made 76.

Wyllie's century was particularly eye-catching after he lost his Western Australia contract earlier this year and subsequently signed with Tasmania. The 22-year-old, who had already been part of two Sheffield Shield-winning sides, used the opportunity to underline his credentials in front of Australia's selectors.

Off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli had earlier played a major role in Bangladesh's first-innings struggles, taking six wickets for 83 runs from 24 overs. He added two more wickets in the second innings to finish with eight for the match.

However, it was Thompson who delivered the decisive blow on Saturday.

The South Australian quick had taken two wickets late on the second day and returned with the new ball to dismantle Bangladesh's remaining resistance. He removed six more batters as the visitors lost their last eight wickets for a modest addition to their overnight total.

Thompson had played only one previous first-class match before the warm-up fixture, making his eight-wicket haul all the more striking. He said his approach was straightforward: use the new ball, generate movement and attack the stumps.

"I had a clear process -- just try to use the new ball, swing it and hit the stumps," Thompson said after the match.

"I was lucky enough to get a few wickets."

Bangladesh's second innings offered almost no resistance. Opener Tanzid Hasan was the only batter to pass 10, making 22, while the rest of the batting order failed to establish a partnership against the CA XI attack.

The tourists had agreed to play the match as a 13-a-side fixture, meaning it did not carry first-class status, but the severity of the defeat will nevertheless concern Bangladesh ahead of the Tests.

The first Test begins in Darwin on August 13, marking Bangladesh's return to Australia for Test cricket for the first time since 2003. The second Test is scheduled for Mackay from August 22-26.

Bangladesh's warm-up performance will offer little comfort before the much sterner examination against Australia's established Test side.

After being dismissed twice in the space of three days, their immediate task will be to rebuild confidence and find a way to withstand an Australian pace attack that is likely to be considerably more experienced and hostile than the one that routed them in Darwin.

For Australia, meanwhile, the result was another reminder of the depth available beneath the national side, with several players in the CA XI using the fixture to press their claims for higher honours.

For Bangladesh, the challenge is considerably more immediate: they must recover quickly before facing the world's top-ranked Test side on the same ground next week.