'Australia are going to come harder at us' - Simmons to high-flying Bangladesh

Head coach wants his side to start second Test against Australia "on the right footing" after the highs of Darwin

Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons has told his team to be prepared to have to play even better to win the second Test against Australia as he expects the home side to come "harder" at them in Mackay as they try to level the series.

After giving themselves an extra day off after arriving in Mackay following a lengthy two-stop journey, Bangladesh returned to training on Wednesday as still the talk of the cricket world after toppling Australia by nine wickets in the first Test in Darwin.

In a video posted on the Bangladesh social media handles in the aftermath of the victory, Simmons was seen emphasising the magnitude of the win, drawing on his experiences of playing in Australia, but also added "we came to play two Tests, not one".RelatedWhere does Darwin rank among Tests' biggest upsets?

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It was a tone he reiterated after an intense three-hour session at the Great Barrier Reef Arena which saw all the fast bowlers running in hard, including left-armer Shoriful Islam, who will come into consideration for selection.

"The only thing I had to say to them - and I will repeat it anyway - is that Australia is going to come harder," Simmons said on Thursday. "So we have to either keep that level of performance or get a little bit better. Even if we [have to] get 1% better in some areas, then we will have to make sure that that's there. But we know that they are going to change their game. They are going to come harder at us."

Simmons termed the Darwin result the best he had had as a coach in Test cricket, and said despite being bowled out for 54 by Cricket Australia XI in the warm-up match, which followed an innings defeat against Zimbabwe, he had always retained belief in his squad.

"I've seen the practices, I've seen how we practiced before the three-day game, and I've seen how we practiced the three days before the Test match," he said. "So the work didn't change. Even though we made 54, an off day, the work rate didn't change. So it gives me that sort of confidence that the guys want this, and they want to do well."Phil Simmons on Shoriful Islam's possible inclusion in Mackay: "I'm one... who hardly likes to change winning teams"•Randy Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

While Shoriful, who has 27 wickets at 36.03 from 13 Tests, looked impressive in the nets and took 6 for 48 in an ODI against Australia earlier this year - including the wickets of Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne, who will also play in Mackay - it appears to be a tight call on whether he will find a spot.

"He offers something different. But again, we just won a Test match," Simmons said. "I'm one... who hardly likes to change winning teams. So it's a possibility, but I can't really say. I'm impressed with all the bowlers because I think everybody bowled to what we spoke about. They're good batsmen [in the Australia side], they're world-class batsmen.

"You try and be consistent in areas that will test them. And it worked this time. Another day, it might not work. But as long as we stick to what we planned and we make sure that they're under pressure all the time, [that] is what we ask for."

While Bangladesh's seamers set up the strong position on the opening day in Darwin by bowling out Australia for 198, it was the composed batting performance across 138 overs, reaching 426, which cemented the foundations of the victory and Simmons summed up a very simple philosophy to Test cricket."Bangladeshi people are emotional. I'm not the same, so it's easy for me to control that. It's difficult for them, but I think looking at them today… the guys have settled back down a lot."Phil Simmons wants to keep his side grounded after beating Australia in the first Test

"Test cricket is five days; if my team can bat for 11 hours out of those five days, then the other team must be under pressure," he said. "For me, that's how I learned in Test cricket. You bat, you get a score. A big first-innings score is always good. Then you put the other team under pressure.

"That's what we're trying to do. Bat and get big scores in the first innings and make sure that the other team has to do a lot of work to get those scores."

A simple formula, and one he hopes can be repeated, but Simmons also acknowledged the emotions that had been swirling after the Darwin victory, although was encouraged by what he saw in the nets that the players remained grounded.

"Bangladeshi people are emotional. I'm not the same, so it's easy for me to control that," he said. "It's difficult for them, but I think looking at them today… the guys have settled back down a lot. We hope that tomorrow again there's a little more settling, so we start on the right footing on Saturday."