AusvBan 2nd test : Starc’s Six-for, Shoriful’s Stunning Reply: 18 Wickets Fall in a Frenzied Mackay Test

 

The second Test between Australia and Bangladesh exploded into life on the opening day at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, with 18 wickets tumbling for just 229 runs in a remarkable exhibition of fast bowling. Australia, desperate to respond after their nine-wicket defeat in Darwin, ended the day in front at 165 for 8, carrying a 101-run lead after Bangladesh were sensationally dismissed for only 64.

Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that paid immediate dividends. Mitchell Starc produced a devastating opening burst, removing Shadman Islam with the very first delivery of the Test. It was the fourth time Starc had taken a wicket with the opening ball of a Test, underlining his extraordinary record with the new ball.

Starc was virtually unplayable in the opening exchanges. He claimed five wickets in only 22 balls, reducing Bangladesh to a catastrophic 12 for 5. Four of Bangladesh's top six — Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das — were dismissed without scoring. Bangladesh reached lunch at just 35 for 6, with the Australian attack maintaining relentless pressure.

The visitors eventually folded for 64 in 34 overs, their fourth-lowest total in Test cricket. Shoriful Islam, batting at No. 11, top-scored with a courageous 14, while Taijul Islam remained unbeaten on 11. Cummins provided excellent support to Starc with 3 for 25, while Josh Hazlewood also chipped in with a wicket.

Starc's final figures were an astonishing 6 for 12 from 10 overs. The haul also took him to 441 Test wickets, moving him past South African great Dale Steyn and into 10th place on the all-time Test wicket-takers' list. His performance was one of the most destructive opening spells of his distinguished career.

Australia initially appeared capable of converting their bowling dominance into complete control. Travis Head made 22, Matt Renshaw 8 and Marnus Labuschagne 4, before Steve Smith and Cameron Green produced the most substantial partnership of the day. The experienced Smith contributed a composed 42 from 74 balls, including six boundaries, while Green provided a measured and increasingly valuable contribution. Their 77-run fourth-wicket partnership briefly restored Australian authority.

But Bangladesh produced a sensational counterattack through Shoriful Islam. Returning to the Test side after injury, the left-arm seamer first removed Head and Labuschagne before returning later to break the Smith-Green stand. Smith's dismissal for 42 triggered another Australian wobble, and Bangladesh suddenly transformed a comfortable position into a tense contest.

Shoriful then ripped through Australia's lower order, dismissing Beau Webster, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to complete a magnificent 6 for 35 from 11 overs. His spell was particularly remarkable because he had also been Bangladesh's highest scorer with 14. His six-for became the defining counterpunch of an extraordinary day.

Amid the chaos, Cameron Green remained Australia's pillar of resistance. His unbeaten 51 was a composed and valuable innings on a difficult, pace-friendly surface. Following his century in the first Test, Green's latest half-century continued his impressive run of form and ensured Australia retained a significant advantage despite their own batting collapse. Nathan Lyon was unbeaten on 10 alongside him at stumps.

The numbers underline just how extraordinary the day was. Eighteen wickets fell — the third-highest number on the first day of a Test in Australia since 1975 — while only 229 runs were scored. Six batters were dismissed for ducks, and both teams' innings were dominated by left-arm pace: Starc finished with 6 for 12 and Shoriful with 6 for 35.

Day 1 at a glance

Bangladesh — 64 all out (34 overs)

Shoriful Islam: 14

Taijul Islam: 11*

Mitchell Starc: 6/12 (10 overs)

Pat Cummins: 3/25

Australia — 165/8 (at stumps)

Cameron Green: 51*

Steve Smith: 42

Shoriful Islam: 6/35 (11 overs)

Lead: 101 runs

After a breathtaking opening day, Australia have the advantage, but Bangladesh's dramatic late fightback has prevented the hosts from gaining complete control. With only two wickets separating Australia from another innings in which Bangladesh's bowlers could attack, the second morning promises another absorbing contest on a pitch that has already proved brutally demanding for batsmen.