Mehedi floored by Cartwright's cannon

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehedi Hasan has had the last laugh after copping the full force of a powerful Hilton Cartwright drive during the second Test against Australia.

Cartwright, on 12, skipped down the wicket and launched into a booming drive, smashing a flighted delivery from Mehedi straight back at the bowler.

The ball cannoned off the bowler's wrist and into his chest, flooring the diminutive tweaker.

Mehedi hobbled away in pain as his teammates gathered around him and he eventually lay down to receive medical treatment from Tigers physio Thihan Chandramohan.

But the teenager composed himself and struck a vital blow of his own on the stroke of tea.

With the final ball before the break, Cartwright played forward in defence to Mehedi as the ball skidded straight on, taking the right-hander’s outside edge and Soumya Sarkar at slip made no mistake to leave the visitors at 5-321 at tea. 

While the dropped catch technically went down as a chance as it struck Mehedi on the full, the extraordinary power with which Cartwright struck the ball may have also left the Australian feeling let down that it didn't result in any runs.

Mehedi wasn't the only Bangladeshi to cop the wrath of Cartwright in his brief stay, with the right-hander pummelling a pull shot straight into Mominul Haque at short leg.

Mominul solidered on with minimal fuss, giving his upper thigh a brief rub before resuming his position at bat-pad.

Cartwright himself copped a nasty blow at short leg on Test debut earlier this year, struck square in the protector at the SCG.

Mehedi had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell, also on 12, when he put down a simple chance in gully to leave quick Mustafizur Rahman dejected.

David Warner, who went on to post his 20th Test century on Wednesday, was also dropped on 52 by Mominul Haque, who couldn’t hold onto a difficult catch at short leg in the final session of day two.

Australia in Bangladesh 2017

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Steve O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade.

Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mominul Haque.

27-31 August First Test, Dhaka, Bangladesh won by 20 runs

4-8 September Second Test, Chittagong