Aussies beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test. Skipper Pat Cummins praised Cameron Green’s crucial 67, while Mitchell Starc was the star with the ball, taking a ten-wicket haul in the match.
After an embarrassing defeat at Darwin, Aussies came back with a vengeance at Mackay, beating Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs within a space of two days. While the bowling of Mitchell Starc, who took a ten-wicket haul, stood out, it was Green’s fighting 67 in the first innings that helped Australia take a healthy lead of 146 runs.
Speaking about Green during the post-match presentation, Cummins said, “So really happy for him. Again, held our innings together yesterday and this morning. So hopefully he can take a lot of confidence out of that. We know how good he is. He now keeps putting up some really solid performances in Test cricket. We know he’s good enough. So lots of cricket coming up, hopefully he continues it on.”
Green, who was under scrutiny for his inconsistent performances in red-ball cricket, responded to all the criticism with some valuable runs, topping the run-charts with 184 runs in three innings at an average of 61.33, including a career-defining century at Darwin, where he helped Australia avoid an innings defeat and take a 56 run lead.
Cummins on bouncing back from Darwin loss
Speaking on bouncing back from Darwin loss, Cummins said, “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.”
“I thought everyone was really sharp (in fielding and with the ball). It is a bit like the opposite last week. If you get a really good first hour or two, it can set up the rest of the match. I do not think we can expect to get six for 20 or whatever we had every match. But it was a great start and did not really let up after that,” he added.
Plans for South Africa series
He also spoke on his involvement in the white-ball series in South Africa, with the three ODIs starting from September 24 ahead of three Test matches, he said that he will have some involvement there and wants to play some limited-overs cricket before taking the red cherry.
“I think I will get over there (South Africa) for some of it. So yeah, we will work that out in the next couple of days. But yeah, plan to play a little bit of white-ball leading into the red ball,” he said.
On playing Test cricket at Darwin
Speaking on playing Test cricket at Darwin, Cummins said that the feel was different, but the crowd support was there.
“I think the conditions both weeks have been excellent, really Test-quality conditions. So yeah, no complaints, we have loved it. Hopefully we get back up here at some point,” he signed off.
How the match unfolded
Australia won the toss and opted to field first. Starc unleashed his fury on Bangladesh batters, getting his five-wicket haul in the first seven overs and reducing Bangladesh to 12/5. Starc’s fifer was a special one as four of five batters got out for a duck. He got some assistance from skipper Pat Cummins (3/25). Bangladesh was 39/9, but avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest Test score (their lowest score being 43), as Shoriful Islam (14) emerged as their top-scorer. With four batters touching double digits, Bangladesh was cleaned up for 64, with Starc (6/12 in 10 overs) bowling yet another legendary spell, entering the top ten Test wicket-takers by overtaking Dale Steyn.
Australia’s reply
In their first innings, Australia was reduced to 41/3, but Steve Smith (42 in 74 balls, with six fours) and Cameron Green did some repair work with a 77-run stand. However, after Starc, it was another left-arm pacer, Shoriful Islam, who did the damage. He reduced the Aussies to 148/8.
Cameron Green (67 in 105 balls, with 10 fours) and Nathan Lyon (32 in 62 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played important knocks to take Australia past the 200-run mark. Australia was skittled out for 210 at the start of day two, with Shoriful (7/48) recording the best-ever figures by a Bangladesh bowler away from home. Australia led by 146 runs.
Bangladesh’s second innings
In their second innings, Bangladesh was skittled out for just 95 runs, with the trio of Starc (4/39), Cummins (3/10) and Nathan Lyon (3/25) running rampant on Bangladesh. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (31 in 46 balls, with six fours) and Mushfiqur Rahim’s (29* in 80 balls, with three fours) put on a 27-run stand for the fourth wicket was the highest point of Bangladesh’s batting, as they collapsed from 51/3 to 95 all out. (ANI)
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