Australia bounced back from the surprise defeat they suffered in the opening Test against Bangladesh in Darwin by delivering a crushing innings victory in just two days at Mackay, thereby drawing the two‑match series 1‑1. The Australian bowlers were the main architects of the win, with Mitchell Starc leading the charge by claiming four wickets for 39 runs in the second innings and finishing the match with an impressive ten‑for‑51 across both innings. Bangladesh’s batting collapsed twice, failing to reach the century mark in either of their innings. In the second innings, fast‑bowling spearhead Pat Cummins added three wickets for just ten runs, while off‑spinner Nathan Lyon chipped in with three for 25.
Their combined effort saw Bangladesh bowled out for a meagre 95 runs in 38.3 overs before the tea break on day two, sealing an innings‑and‑51‑run win for the visitors. The match unfolded with Bangladesh being dismissed for a paltry 64 runs in their first innings, a total that was dismantled by a lethal Australian attack: Starc produced a spectacular spell of 6‑12, Cummins contributed 3‑25, and Josh Hazlewood added 1‑18. Shoriful Islam managed to claim a solitary wicket for 14 runs. In response, Australia posted 210 runs in 52.3 overs, anchored by a fluent 67 from Cameron Green and a solid 42 from Steve Smith.
Nathan Lyon contributed a quick‑fire 32 not out, while Bangladesh’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Shoriful Islam taking 7‑48 – the best innings figures by a Bangladeshi bowler in an overseas Test – and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed picking up the remaining scalps. Bangladesh’s second‑innings effort crumbled under the relentless pressure of the Australian pacemen. After a brief resistance that saw Najmul Hossain Shanto score 31 and Mushfiqur Rahim add an unbeaten 29, the team was reduced to 95 all out.
Starc’s four‑for‑39 and Cummins’ three‑for‑10 proved decisive, while Lyon’s three‑for‑25 wrapped up the final dismissals. Despite the modest total of 210, Australia’s first‑innings score proved more than sufficient, as they wrapped up an innings victory by a margin of 51 runs. Starc, who earned the Player of the Match award, reflected on the turnaround, saying, "Much better week. We knew we weren’t at our best in Darwin, but this week we delivered what we expect of ourselves, especially with the ball and the helpful wicket conditions." The emphatic win, however, does little to quiet the lingering concerns about the Australian batting line‑up ahead of their upcoming three‑Test tour of South Africa, the reigning World Test Championship champions, scheduled to begin in October.
A quick glance at the scorecard highlights the key moments: Australia, after being 165‑8 at one stage in their first innings, were eventually all out for 210, with Green’s 67 standing out as the sole half‑century. Shoriful Islam’s 7‑48 remains a historic performance for Bangladesh on foreign soil. The visitors required 146 runs to force Bangladesh to bat again, but they stumbled to 39‑3 by lunch and collapsed further in the middle session, ending the day at 95‑8. Starc’s dominance continued in the second innings, where after an early wicket of Shadman Islam for one run, he dismissed Mominul Haque for a duck in his second over.
He then trapped wicket‑keeper Litton Das in the slips for another duck and later bowled tail‑ender Taijul Islam for 11. This performance elevated Starc to tenth place on the all‑time Test wicket‑takers list with 445 dismissals, narrowing the gap to Nathan Lyon, who sits just four spots ahead.
Lyon, meanwhile, claimed the crucial wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for 31 and proceeded to take the final two wickets in three balls immediately after the tea break, sealing the match for Australia. Reflecting on his achievement, Starc quipped, "Nathan didn’t remind me that I’ve just stepped on the first rung of the ladder while he’s still up there looking down on me," delivering the comment with his characteristic wry grin. Overall, the two‑day triumph showcased Australia’s fire‑power with the ball and highlighted the resilience of their bowlers to bounce back after a shocking opening loss.
While the series is now level, the upcoming South African tour will be a stern test of whether the Australian batting can rediscover the form that has often underpinned their historic success in Test cricket.