2nd Test: Starc helps Australia dominate Bangladesh in 18-wicket day
What's the story
Australia ended Day 1 of the second Test against Bangladesh on a strong note, finishing at 165/8 and taking a massive first-innings lead of 101 runs. The match is being played in Mackay, where Bangladesh's batting line-up crumbled under pressure. They were bowled out for just 64 runs in their first innings, with Mitchell Starc claiming a six-wicket haul. The Aussie batters also had a hard time as Shoriful Islam has claimed six wickets so far.
Match dynamics
Starc rattles the Bangladesh batting order
Bangladesh's batting collapse was swift and brutal, as they went from 15/5 to 35/6 at lunch.
Starc took just 22 balls to complete his five-wicket haul.
The team could only manage a paltry total of 64 in 34 overs.
Notably, Shoriful's 14 runs made him Bangladesh's top scorer for this innings.
He is one of the few No.11 batsmen in Test history to be the team's highest scorer.
Unusual record
Bangladesh's fourth-lowest Test total
The 64/10 is now Bangladesh's fourth-lowest total in a Test match.
Bangladesh's lowest all-out totals in Tests:
1. 43 vs West Indies in North Sound, 2018.
2. 53 vs South Africa in Durban, 2022.
3. 62 vs Sri Lanka in Colombo, 2007.
4. 64 vs Australia in Mackay, 2026.
Just days ago, Bangladesh had scored a mammoth 426 runs in their first innings of the opening Test at Darwin and went on to win by nine wickets.
Resilience
Green's half-century propels hosts to commanding position
Bangladesh bowlers responded well, reducing Australia to 50/3 at tea.
Though a 77-run stand between Cameron Green and Steve Smith then took the total to 118/3, the Aussies further lost five wickets inside 30 runs.
While Smith (42 off 74) was dismissed, Green stood strong and returned unbeaten on 51* off 81 balls.
By stumps, Australia had posted 165/8 in their first innings, giving them a significant lead of 101 runs over Bangladesh.
As mentioned, Shoriful has struck six times so far.
Starc
Starc surpasses Steyn
Starc's 10 overs resulted in 12 runs, six wickets, and as many maidens.
With this performance, Starc entered the top 10 wicket-takers in Test cricket, surpassing South African legend Dale Steyn (439) to claim the 10th spot, as per Cricinfo.
The left-arm pacer has now taken his Test wickets tally to 441 at an impressive average of 26.27.
The one in Mackay was his 19th Test five-wicket haul.
WTC
Another record for Starc
En route to his spell, Starc also became the highest wicket-taker in World Test Championship history.
He has taken his tally to 230 wickets from 56 matches at an average of 24.50.
This includes eight fifers and 10 four-fers.
Starc surpassed his Aussie teammates Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins, who own 225 wickets apiece.
Information
Most wickets in current cycle
During his spell, Starc completed 50 wickets in the ongoing 2025-27 WTC cycle, taking his tally to 54 wickets from 10 matches at a stellar average of 17.51 (5W: 4). England's Josh Tongue (53) is the only other to claim 50-plus wickets in this cycle.
Cummins
Cummins races to 187 wickets in home Tests
While Starc's six-wicket haul headlined Bangladesh's demolition, skipper Cummins also made three strikes (3/25 in 10 overs).
The pacer has now raced to 319 Test wickets at an average of 22.08. This includes 14 five-wicket hauls.
Across 41 home Tests, the Australian skipper has taken 187 wickets at an average of 20.02. His tally includes 9 fifers.
Shoriful
Feats for Shoriful
Shoriful, who missed the opening Test, finished the day with 6/35 from 11 overs.
Pakistan's Wasim Akram was the last visiting left-arm pacer to claim a Test six-fer in Australia, having claimed 6/62 in Melbourne (1990).
Shoriful also became the second Bangladesh bowler to take a six-fer against Australia in Tests.
He joined Hasan Mahmud, who picked up 6/55 in the opener of the ongoing series.
Meanwhile, this was Shoriful's maiden Test five-wicket haul, which has powered him to 33 wickets at 30.54.
Green
Back-to-back 50-plus scores for Green
Green scored the only half-century of the day, hitting eight fours for his 81-ball 51*.
The 27-year-old had made a hundred in the third innings of the series opener (104 runs off 201 balls).
The youngster, who made his Test debut for Australia in December 2020, has now raced past 1,900 Test runs at an average of 33-plus.
He currently has three centuries and eight half-centuries to his name.