Handscomb fights on in oppressive heat

The punishing tropical heat in Chittagong has forced Australia batsman Peter Handscomb to take a time out as stumps approached on day two of the second Test against Bangladesh.

After taking a regulation single off Mehedi Hasan 15 minutes before the end of play, Handscomb put his hands on his knees and dry-retched as the sweltering heat became too much for the 25-year-old.

Handscomb then dropped to his haunches and required assistance from team doctor Geoff Verrall, who jogged out to the middle.

The Victorian had ice applied to his head and was given a tablet as batting partner David Warner and Bangladesh's fielders showed concern for his well-being.

Both Handscomb, who was on 64 off 95 balls at the time of the brief interval, and his partner Warner had grown increasingly exhausted as their partnership stretched past 100.

Temperatures in Chittagong reached a moderate top of 31 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, but it was the humidity that hovered around 80 per cent for most of the day that tested the fitness of the players.

Handscomb was able to push through to stumps, with Australia reaching 2-225 when time was called. Handscomb was 69 not out at the close while Warner will resume on 88 on the third morning.

"They're in the ice baths at the moment," coach Darren Lehmann said of Handscomb and Warner after play.

"They'll be fine, they're back tomorrow and away we go. They're just exhausted.

"(It was) really gutsy, obviously it's pretty hot out there, we saw that yesterday and you have to work really hard for your runs.

"So to get through and the way they played was excellent. They're in the ice baths now and we'll leave them with the medical team to get them right for tomorrow.

"Very special day and hopefully tomorrow they can kick on."

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon yesterday described the conditions in the port city as the toughest he'd ever encountered in his Test career.

"That’s up there with the hardest Test match cricket days I’ve ever had,” said Lyon after play on day one.

"This would be my 69th Test match and I don’t think I’ve been tested like that physically." 

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