Rafique celebrates taking five Australian wickets

Bangladesh struggled in their second innings against Australia as they attempt one of cricket's biggest upsets but still hold a healthy lead.

At the close on day three of the first Test in Fatullah they were 124-5, 282 runs ahead of Test cricket's top nation, with Rajin Saleh 29no.

Earlier Australia were dismissed for 269, Adam Gilchrist saving their blushes with 144, his 16th Test ton.

Spinner Mohammad Rafique did the damage taking 5-62 in 32.2 overs.

But after Bangladesh dominated the first two days' play the match is now more evenly poised, with the hosts just favourites to land what would be their biggest cricket achievement.

Australia had resumed on 145-6 with Gilchrist on 51 and Brett Lee on 13 and Lee's was the only wicket to fall in the morning session.

Gilchrist raises his bat after scoring his century

He was trapped lbw by Mashrafe Mortaza for 15 and at lunch Australia were 226-7, still two runs away from avoiding the follow-on.

However Gilchrist, hitting his first Test century for a year, and Jason Gillespie put on 73 runs for the eighth wicket before Gillespie succumbed to Rafique for 26.

Stuart Clark was out for a duck and Australia's innings came to an end when the swashbuckling Gilchrist was caught at midwicket attempting a slog sweep.

Australia recovered some pride against the world's worst Test team by snapping up five wickets in the final session of the day.

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Shahriar Nafees, who hit his first Test century in the previous innings, was out for 33, bowled by Lee and fellow opener Javed Omar edged Gillespie to Gilchrist for 18.

Bangladesh wobbled further and were reduced to 77-4 when captain Habibul Bashar was run out for seven but Saleh steadied the ship with Aftab Ahmed, only for Aftab to lose his wicket in the final over of the day.

Bangladesh have only played Australia twice before - and lost those two previous Tests in 2003 by an innings.