Mitchell Starc led the way as Australia roared back against Bangladesh on Day 1 of the second Test after suffering a humiliating defeat in the first Test.
The hosts dismissed Bangladesh for just 64 runs on Day 1 in Mackay, with pace spearhead Starc finishing with figures of 6/12 in 10 overs. Five of his wickets came in his first four overs, 22 balls to be precise, of the day.
Australia captain Pat Cummins, who was the second-best bowler with figures of 3/25, earlier won the toss and chose to bowl first. Starc didn’t take long to strike, getting opener Shadman Islam with the very first ball of the match. The delivery was full and angling into middle stump, but shaping away late, all of which left Shadman squared up entirely. The ball took a leading edge and Cameron Green caught it at his chest at gully.
Starc then struck with the first ball of his next over, the third of the day overall in the Bangladesh innings, getting Shadman’s opening partner and first Test centurion Tanzid Hasan caught at third slip for a two-ball duck.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was next to go with the very next delivery, Starc rapping him on the front shin with a full delivery that seamed in and nipped past the inside edge. The Australians appealed and umpire Kumar Dharmasena had no hesitation in lifting his finger up for LBW. Shanto reviewed it and the umpire’s decision was resoundingly held up.
There was no hat-trick for Starc but he picked his next wicket with the fifth ball of his next over, fifth of the Bangladesh innings. This time it was Bangladesh’s Test batting mainstay Mominul Haque, who played a full delivery straight into the hands of the fielder at gully. Starc then picked his fifth wicket off the fourth ball of his next over, Bangladesh’s seventh, by getting Litton Das LBW with a full delivery shaping into the batsman’s leg.
At that point, Bangladesh were tottering at a score of 12 runs for the loss of five wickets. Starc was made to wait relatively longer for his sixth and it came in the form of the Bangladesh No.11 Shoriful Islam, who had been swinging away at everything thrown at him and frustrating the Australians. He got an edge to wicketkeeper Alex Carey and fell on a score of 14 off 19 balls, thus finishing as Bangladesh’s highest scorer.