There is an unmistakable buzz whenever Mitchell Starc marks out his run-up with a brand-new red Kookaburra in hand. Heading into the second Test at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena, Australia were under genuine scrutiny after a nine-wicket defeat in Darwin. Bangladesh arrived brimming with confidence, having piled up 426 in their first innings the previous week.
That momentum dissolved on the very first delivery of the match. In one of the most destructive new-ball exhibitions in modern Test history, Mitchell Starc’s thunderbolts wreck Bangladesh on Day 1, dismantling the visitors for a paltry 64 inside 34 overs. Spearheading the assault with figures of 6 for 12 from 10 overs, the left-armer claimed five wickets in his opening 22 balls, struck on ball one of a Test for a record fourth time, and surged past Dale Steyn on the all-time Test wickets tally.
The 22-Ball Ambush: Dissecting Mitchell Starc’s Opening Burst
Mitchell Starc did not waste an over finding his radar. Stepping over the wicket to Shadman Islam, he delivered a full, searing ball that drifted in before shaping away, clipping the shoulder of the bat straight to Cameron Green at gully. It marked the ninth time in his career that Mitchell Starc has struck in the first over of a Test, taking him clear of James Anderson’s eight. What followed was an absolute top-order procession.
Mitchell Starc’s 6-Wicket Breakdown
| Batter Dismissed | Score | Mode of Dismissal | Match Context & Delivery |
| Shadman Islam | 0(1) | c Green b Starc | Struck on the first ball of the match; late shape away to gully. |
| Tanzid Hasan | 0(2) | c Webster b Starc | Pushed across fourth stump; guided straight to second slip. |
| Najmul Hossain Shanto | 0(1) | lbw b Starc | Late swinging full ball pinning the skipper deep in the crease. |
| Mominul Haque | 9(16) | c Green b Starc | Angled across corridor, drawing a thick edge to gully. |
| Litton Das | 0(5) | lbw b Starc | Rapid, skidding ball trapping the batter in front of middle and leg. |
| Shoriful Islam | 14(19) | c Carey b Starc | Banged into the pitch; edged behind to wrap up the innings at 64. |
Starc’s opening spell read 6-2-5-5, leaving Bangladesh in tatters at 12 for 5 inside seven overs. Four of Bangladesh’s top five batters were back in the pavilion without scoring, making it their lowest-ever score upon losing five wickets in a Test innings.
Past Dale Steyn into 10th All-Time: A Milestone Morning
Pat Cummins maintained the squeeze after lunch, removing Mushfiqur Rahim (5), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (11), and Taskin Ahmed (1) on his way to 3 for 25. When Josh Hazlewood had Hasan Mahmud caught for 10, Bangladesh were staring at their lowest Test total ever (43 against the West Indies in 2018) at 39 for 9.
A defiant 25-run last-wicket stand between Taijul Islam (11*) and No. 11 Shoriful Islam (14) spared them that fate before Starc returned to have Shoriful caught behind by Alex Carey, locking in his final figures of 6 for 12.
Elite Historical Milestones Achieved
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Passing Dale Steyn: Starc climbed to 441 Test wickets, overtaking Dale Steyn’s 439 to claim 10th spot on the all-time Test wickets ladder.
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Opening Ball Mastery: Became the sole bowler in Test history to take a wicket on the very first ball of a Test match on four separate occasions (Dimuth Karunaratne, Rory Burns, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shadman Islam).
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Opening Over King: Reached 9 first-over dismissals in Tests, overtaking James Anderson (8) for the world record.
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Fast-Five Benchmark: Secured the sixth-fastest five-wicket haul in Test history (22 deliveries), matching his own pedigree after his 15-ball blitz against the West Indies at Kingston in 2025.
Why Mitchell Starc’s Thunderbolts Wreck Bangladesh on Drop-In Decks
The difference between Darwin and Mackay lay in bounce and seam presentation. While Marrara Stadium offered a truer, slower bounce that allowed Bangladesh to play on the up, Mackay’s surface provided nearly 12 centimetres of extra lift.
Mitchell Starc exploited that steep carry by tightening his line into the ribs while letting the wobble-seam carry away from the left-handers. Pinned deep in their crease out of fear of the full swinging yorker, Bangladesh’s batters repeatedly prodded with stiff hands away from their bodies, feeding Australia’s slip cordon.
A Master at the Peak of His Craft
On an explosive 18-wicket opening day where Bangladesh’s own Shoriful Islam struck back with 6 for 35 to leave Australia 165 for 8 by stumps, Starc’s opening spell remained the defining statement of the match.
When the stakes are high and Australia require an immediate spark, their premier left-arm quick rarely waits for the game to drift. As Mitchell Starc’s thunderbolts wreck Bangladesh in a historic six-wicket haul, he did more than clean up the scorecard; he stamped his authority into the record books as one of the most prolific strike weapons the game has witnessed.