Australia vs Bangladesh 2nd Test: Starc Takes 10 Wickets

Australia vs Bangladesh 2nd Test:Australia bounced back from their Darwin defeat to beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay, with Mitchell Starc claiming 10 wickets as the hosts levelled the two-Test series 1-1.

Mackay, Australia — Australia produced a ruthless response to their defeat in Darwin, crushing Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test at Mackay to level the two-match series 1-1. Mitchell Starc led the demolition with a 10-wicket match haul as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 and 95, with the contest ending inside two days.

• Key Highlights:
• Australia defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test at Mackay.
• Mitchell Starc finished with 10 wickets for 51 runs and was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
• Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 and 95, their combined total across both innings being 159.
• The two-match series finished level at 1-1 after Australia bounced back from the Darwin defeat.

Australia respond strongly after Darwin defeat

Australia bounced back in dominant fashion after Bangladesh’s historic victory in the first Test at Darwin. Pat Cummins won the toss in Mackay and chose to field first, and the decision immediately proved effective as Bangladesh struggled against the extra pace, bounce and movement available in the conditions.

The visitors were dismissed for only 64 runs in 34 overs during their first innings. Mitchell Starc produced a devastating spell of 6 for 12 from 10 overs, including six maidens, while Pat Cummins took 3 for 25 and Josh Hazlewood claimed the remaining wicket.

Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam to Starc from the first ball of the innings. Tanzid Hasan followed without scoring, while captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was also dismissed for a duck. Mominul Haque managed 9 before becoming Starc’s fourth wicket.

Litton Das was dismissed without scoring, while Mushfiqur Rahim made 5 from 42 balls before Cummins bowled him. Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed 11, Hasan Mahmud scored 10 and Taijul Islam remained unbeaten on 11. Shoriful Islam’s 14 was the highest contribution from the lower order.

Bangladesh first innings scorecard

Bangladesh bowlers hit back as Australia reach 210

Australia’s batting innings was far from straightforward despite the hosts’ early advantage. Shoriful Islam delivered an outstanding spell, taking seven wickets and repeatedly breaking through the Australian lineup.

Travis Head scored 22 before Shoriful dismissed him, while Matt Renshaw made 8 and Marnus Labuschagne scored 4. Steven Smith provided an important contribution with 42 from 74 balls, hitting six boundaries.

Cameron Green held Australia’s innings together with 67 from 105 deliveries, including 10 fours. His knock gave Australia stability during a difficult batting effort, while Nathan Lyon added a valuable unbeaten 32 from 62 balls, including four fours and a six.

Alex Carey made 5, Beau Webster and Pat Cummins were both dismissed without scoring, Mitchell Starc made 1 and Josh Hazlewood added 6. Australia finished with 210 in 52.3 overs, earning a first-innings lead of 146 runs.

Australia first innings scorecard

Green and Lyon add crucial runs before Australia finish

Australia resumed with only two wickets remaining in their first innings, but Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon added valuable runs. The pair put on 38 runs for the ninth wicket before Green was dismissed for 67 by Shoriful Islam.

Lyon continued attacking after Green’s dismissal and struck Taskin Ahmed for a four and a six in a 17-run over. Hazlewood eventually became the final wicket to fall as Australia completed their innings on 210.

Shoriful’s seven-wicket effort was a career-best performance according to the supplied match report, although Bangladesh’s inability to build a competitive batting total left the bowlers without enough support.

Starc destroys Bangladesh again in second innings

Bangladesh began their second innings trailing by 146 and needed a major batting response. Instead, Starc struck again almost immediately. Shadman Islam was dismissed for 1, caught by Marnus Labuschagne, before Mominul Haque was bowled for a first-ball duck in the same over.

Tanzid Hasan made 9 before being caught by Starc off Cummins. Captain Shanto then provided Bangladesh’s most aggressive response, scoring 31 from 46 balls with six boundaries.

Shanto attacked Starc and hit him for five boundaries, including several drives, before attempting to force the pace against Nathan Lyon. He was eventually caught by Starc at long-off.

Litton Das was dismissed for another duck, caught at third slip off Starc. According to the supplied match report, it was his third zero of the series, and he did not score a single run throughout the Test series.

Mushfiqur Rahim fought alone for Bangladesh and remained unbeaten on 29 from 80 balls, hitting three boundaries. However, wickets continued to fall around him as Cummins removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud.

Starc then dismissed Taijul Islam for 7 to complete his 10-wicket match haul. After tea, Nathan Lyon quickly removed Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam to finish the innings.

Bangladesh second innings scorecard

Starc’s 10-wicket haul seals victory in under two days

Bangladesh lasted only three balls after the tea interval. Lyon first had Taskin Ahmed caught by Steven Smith at first slip. The catch was Smith’s 219th in Test cricket, taking him level with Joe Root at the top of the supplied list for most Test catches.

Three balls later, Shoriful Islam attempted an aggressive shot against Lyon but edged the ball towards backward point, where Starc completed the catch. Bangladesh were dismissed for 95 in 38.3 overs and Australia completed an innings-and-51-run victory.

Starc finished the match with figures of 6 for 12 and 4 for 39, giving him 10 wickets for 51 runs. The performance was described in the supplied report as his fourth 10-wicket haul and helped make the match the second-shortest Test played on Australian soil.

Bangladesh’s totals of 64 and 95 also marked the first time they had been bowled out for fewer than 100 runs in both innings of a Test. Australia’s 210 was described as the fourth-lowest total in an innings victory.

Mitchell Starc named Player of the Match and Series

Starc was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series after his decisive bowling performance. Reflecting on Australia’s turnaround, Starc said the team had been much better after failing to meet its own standards in Darwin.

“Bangladesh played really well, so nothing away from them there. But yeah, what we expect from ourselves this week is what we got, particularly with the ball on a wicket that aided us with the ball.”

Starc also spoke about entering the top group of Test wicket-takers but said he was still focused on continuing his career. He said Nathan Lyon had reminded him that there was still a long way to go.

“I don’t know yet. I’m still playing. Nathan did remind me that I’ve just stepped on the first rung of the ladder and he’s still up there looking down on me.”

On his commitment to Test cricket, Starc said the format remained the pinnacle for him and that he wanted to get as much as possible from his body for Test cricket.

Cummins praises Australia’s sharp response

Australia captain Pat Cummins said the team corrected many of the things that had gone wrong during the previous Test. He praised the sharpness of Australia’s fielding and said a strong opening period helped set up the match.

“A lot of things went right these couple of days, where a lot of things went wrong last week. But yeah, we needed to bounce back and it was a great couple of days from the lads.”

Cummins also praised Cameron Green, saying the all-rounder had held Australia’s innings together and had put together increasingly solid performances in Test cricket.

Australia now face a demanding schedule, according to the supplied material, beginning with a tour of South Africa, followed by New Zealand at home and India away. The hosts remain at the top of the World Test Championship table, although questions remain around the batting lineup after the scrutiny following the Darwin result.

Bangladesh captain reflects on difficult conditions

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto acknowledged Australia’s experience and said his side had not produced its best performance in Mackay. He said the conditions were different from Darwin, with additional bounce and swing creating a difficult challenge.

“Obviously I think this is a different condition and there is a little bit more extra bounce and swing in the air. So it’s challenging for us. But as a team, if we wanted to go forward, we need to adjust this condition and I hope this experience will help going forward.”

Shanto also defended the surface despite the Test ending in two days. He pointed out that Australia’s batters had also struggled and praised Bangladesh’s bowlers, particularly Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud.

The Bangladesh captain described the first Test result as a proud moment for the team and said regular opportunities to play in similar conditions would help the side improve. He noted that Bangladesh had come to Australia after a long gap and played only two Tests.

Australian bowlers defend Mackay pitch

Nathan Lyon rejected the suggestion that the surface was simply an 18-wicket pitch. He said the wicket had played well on the first day and credited the quality of the bowlers for making batting difficult.

Josh Hazlewood also said there was enough assistance for the bowlers but did not believe the surface was necessarily a two-day wicket. He said the match would naturally face scrutiny because of its duration but felt it played better than the scorecard suggested.

Hazlewood praised Starc’s bowling and said Lyon had benefited from the bounce available on the surface. He also said playing Test cricket at regional venues such as Darwin and Mackay had been a special experience, particularly because of the opportunity to connect with local communities.

Green continues strong Test series

Cameron Green described the series as positive personally despite Australia’s loss in the first Test. He said the team’s response in Mackay was special and spoke about maintaining momentum as Australia prepare for a long run of Test matches.

Green said his preparation remained heavily focused on batting, describing the split in his workload as roughly 80 percent batting and 20 percent bowling. He also said the transition to white-ball cricket against South Africa would be important with major tournaments always on the horizon.

The all-rounder praised the facilities in Mackay and said taking elite cricket to regional venues had been a valuable experience for the team and supporters.

Series ends level after contrasting Test matches

The tour ended with sharply contrasting results. Bangladesh’s historic achievement in Darwin demonstrated the potential of their bowling attack, even without Nahid Rana, while the Mackay Test exposed the difficulties their batting lineup faced against higher pace and bounce.

Australia’s victory ensured the two-match series finished level at 1-1. Starc’s match-winning 10-wicket haul, Green’s 67, Smith’s 42, Lyon’s unbeaten 32 and the contributions from Cummins and Lyon with the ball gave Australia a commanding response.

For Bangladesh, Shoriful Islam’s seven-wicket performance stood out despite the defeat, while Shanto’s 31 and Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 29 were the principal resistance in the second innings. Australia collected 12 points from the Mackay Test, while Bangladesh received none.

The result brought an end to a series in which Bangladesh achieved their greatest-ever win since their international debut in 1986, before Australia responded emphatically in Mackay to ensure neither side finished with an overall series victory.

Praveen Yadav

Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.