After losing the first Test in Darwin last week, Australia came back heavily in the second and final Test of the series, as Mitchell Starc ripped apart Bangladesh on the opening day as the left-arm pacer completed his five-wicket haul in just 22 deliveries on Saturday.
Opting to bowl first, Starc succeeded on the very first ball of the match when Shadman Islam edged to Cameron Green to gully for a golden duck. It was the fourth time in the longest format of the game that Starc dismissed a batter on the very first ball of a Test match.
The left-arm pacer returned to take two more in successive deliveries. Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who became the first Bangladesh batter to score a Test century on Australian soil, was Starc’s second victim of the day. The left-hander poked a wide swinging half-volley outside off only to get an edge to Beau Webster in the third slip for nought.
The 36-year-old trapped the visiting captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for a golden duck in his very next ball. Mominul Haque (9) and Litton Das (0) were Starc’s fourth and fifth victims, leaving Bangladesh at 12/5 at the end of the seventh over. Starc’s figures read 4-3-4-5 as Bangladesh batters had no clue to the Australian pacer’s swing and seam.
Mitchell Starc breaks 149-year history
In the process, Starc became the first player in Test cricket’s 149-year history to take a wicket on the first ball of a Test match four times. The Australia was previously tied with former West Indies bowler Pedro Collins, who achieved the feat thrice. Starc’s first three first-ball victims were Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka, 2016), Rory Burns (England, 2021) and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (2024).
That’s not all. It was the 28th time in his Test career, Starc took a wicket in the very first over, leaving him just behind legendary England pacer James Anderson, who achieved the milestone 29 times. Starc’s five wickets in 22 balls is the fifth-fastest ever. He had previously taken five wickets in just 15 balls (vs West Indies in 2025).
England’s Stuart Broad and Australia’s Scott Boland, both hold the record of taking five wickets in 19 balls. With the wicket of Momimul, Starc also went past South African Dale Steyn in the list of most career wickets in Tests.
Australia, Bangladesh make one change
Earlier, both Australia and Bangladesh made one change to their playing XIs from Darwin. While Bangladesh brought Shoriful Islam, replacing Ebadot Hossain, the home side replaced Jake Weatherald with Matt Renshaw. Pat Cummins won the toss and send Bangladesh to bat first.
Australia vs Bangladesh 2nd Test playing XIs
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam
Australia: Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood