Test matches rarely move with the violent speed witnessed at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. Trailing 1-0 after a bruising defeat in Darwin, Australia walked into the second Test with their reputation on the line and very little margin for error. Bangladesh had spent the week dreaming of a historic overseas series sweep.
Instead, the contest was settled in barely five sessions. In a ferocious exhibition of high-pace swing and bounce, Mitchell Starc’s 10-wicket haul bashes Bangladesh into submission, powering Australia to a dominant victory by an innings and 51 runs. Finishing with remarkable match figures of 10 for 51 (6/12 and 4/39), the 36-year-old left-armer reduced Bangladesh to scores of 64 and 95, overtook Dale Steyn on the all-time Test wickets ladder, and sealed only the 28th two-day Test in the format’s 149-year history.
Day 1 Destruction: Setting the Ambush
The tone was established from the opening delivery on Friday morning. Mitchell Starc dismissed Shadman Islam on the first ball of the match—marking the fourth time in his career he has struck with ball one of a Test—to spark an unprecedented collapse.
Within his first 22 deliveries, Mitchell Starc picked up five wickets, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 12 for 5 inside seven overs. Operating with a lively wobble-seam on a drop-in pitch offering steep bounce, he blew away the top order before returning to wrap up the tail for 64.
| Phase / Category | Overs & Maidens | Runs Conceded | Wickets | Economy | Key Impact & Scalps |
| 1st Innings | 10.0(2 maidens) | 12 | 6 | 1.20 | Blew away the top order in a 22-ball burst; took the first wicket on ball one of the match. |
| 2nd Innings | 14.0(2 maidens) | 39 | 4 | 2.78 | Struck early in the second dig and returned to clean up the tail, extinguishing any rearguard hopes. |
| Match Total | 24.0(4 maidens) | 51 | 10 | 2.12 | 4th career 10-wicket haul; vaulted past Dale Steyn (439) to reach 445 Test wickets. |
| Series Return | 41.0 overs | 145 | 12 | 3.53 | Named Player of the Series at an average of 12.08 as Australia squared the series 1-1. |
Bangladesh's bowlers hit back fiercely through Shoriful Islam, whose magnificent 7 for 48 dragged Australia to 165 for 8 by stumps. However, Cameron Green's gritty 67 alongside handy lower-order hitting from Nathan Lyon (32*) lifted the hosts to 210 on the second morning, establishing a vital 146-run cushion.
Match Breakdown: 2nd Test at Mackay
| Innings | Team | Score (Overs) | Key Batters | Key Bowlers |
| 1st Innings | Bangladesh | 64 all out(33.2 ov) |
Shoriful Islam 14 (19)
Taijul Islam 11* (26)
|
Mitchell Starc 6/12 (10 ov)
Pat Cummins 3/25 (10 ov)
|
| 1st Innings | Australia | 210 all out(52.3 ov) |
Cameron Green 67 (105)
Steve Smith 42 (74)
|
Shoriful Islam 7/48 (15 ov)
Taskin Ahmed 1/58 (12 ov)
|
| 2nd Innings | Bangladesh | 95 all out(38.3 ov) |
Najmul Hossain Shanto 31 (46)
Mushfiqur Rahim 29* (80)
|
Mitchell Starc 4/39 (14 ov)
Pat Cummins 3/10 (8 ov)
|
The Second-Innings Strike: How Mitchell Starc’s 10-Wicket Haul Bashes Bangladesh
Any hopes of Bangladesh mounting a rearguard effort evaporated almost immediately on Day 2. Starc removed Shadman Islam once again in his opening over, caught at point, before bowling Mominul Haque for a golden duck with a delivery that nipped through the gate.
When Starc had Litton Das caught behind by Beau Webster for a ten-ball duck, Bangladesh were sinking at 18 for 3. While Najmul Hossain Shanto (31) and Mushfiqur Rahim (29*) briefly held up an end with a 27-run alliance, Pat Cummins (3/10) and Nathan Lyon sliced through the middle order.
Starc returned to castle Taijul Islam to complete his fourth career 10-wicket haul. Moments later, Lyon claimed the final wicket to dismiss Bangladesh for 95, sealing the innings-and-51-run rout.
Mitchell Starc past Dale Steyn into the Top 10
Beyond leveling the series, this match marked another milestone in Starc’s career. By claiming 10 wickets in Mackay, Starc pushed his Test tally to 445 wickets, moving past South African legend Dale Steyn (439) into 10th spot on the all-time Test wicket-takers list.
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Elite Company: Starc sits fifth among fast bowlers in Test history, trailing only James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Glenn McGrath, and Courtney Walsh.
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First Over Mastery: His dismissal of Shadman on Day 1 extended his world record to 9 first-over Test wickets.
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Sub-100 Squeeze: This marked the first time in Bangladesh’s Test history that they were bowled out for under 100 in both innings of the same Test match.
Verdict
Two-day Tests often highlight severe batting deficiencies, and while Bangladesh will rue tentative prods outside off stump, the quality of Australia’s pace bowling was relentless. Starc adjusted his lengths expertly after Darwin, finding a tighter line and extracting every millimeter of bounce Mackay had to offer.
When Mitchell Starc’s 10-wicket haul bashes Bangladesh in this manner, it provides a stark reminder of Australia’s fast-bowling pedigree under pressure. With the two-Test series squared at 1-1, Pat Cummins’ side heads into their tour of South Africa with their spearhead operating at peak potency.