Australia bounced back from their surprising opening defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin with a dominant performance in Mackay, sealing an innings victory within just two days and drawing the two‑match Test series level at 1‑1. The Australian bowlers ran through the Bangladeshi line‑up, with Mitchell Starc leading the charge by taking four wickets for 39 runs in the second innings and finishing the match with an impressive ten‑for‑51 aggregate.
Bangladesh were dismissed for less than 100 runs for the second time in the game, underscoring the potency of the Australian attack. Pat Cummins added three wickets for just ten runs, while off‑spinner Nathan Lyon claimed three for 25, helping to wrap up Bangladesh’s second‑innings total of 95 in 38.3 overs before the tea break on day two. The first innings had already seen Bangladesh crumble for 64 all out in 34 overs, with Starc ripping through the top order with figures of six for 12, Cummins contributing three for 25 and Josh Hazlewood chipping in with one for 18.
Only Shoriful Islam managed to take a wicket for Bangladesh, finishing with 14 runs conceded. Australia’s reply in the first innings produced 210 runs from 52.3 overs.
Cameron Green was the standout batsman, scoring a fluent 67, while veteran Steve Smith contributed a gritty 42. Nathan Lyon, normally a bowler, added a useful 32 not out lower down the order. Bangladesh’s bowlers, led by Shoriful Islam’s 7‑48 – the best innings figures by a Bangladeshi bowler on foreign soil – managed to keep the Australian total modest, but it proved more than enough.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed each chipped in with a wicket, while Shoriful Islam’s 7‑48 remained the highlight for the hosts. In the second innings, Bangladesh’s batting collapsed again. Najmul Hossain Shanto top‑scored with 31, and Mushfiqur Rahim added 29 not out, but the rest of the line‑up fell cheaply.
Starc, who had already dazzled with a six‑for‑12 in the first innings, struck again, taking four wickets for 39 runs. Cummins continued his lethal spell with three for 10, and Lyon’s three for 25 completed the demolition.
Bangladesh were bowled out for 95, leaving Australia with an innings‑and‑51‑run victory. Starc was named Player of the Match and reflected on the turnaround: "Much better week.
We knew we weren't at our best, or what we expect of ourselves, in Darwin. What we expect of ourselves this week is what we got, particularly with the ball and the wicket that aided us with the ball." His comments highlighted the team's resilience after the opening loss and the importance of exploiting favorable conditions.
Despite the emphatic win, questions linger about Australia's batting depth ahead of their upcoming three‑Test series against the reigning World Test Championship champions, South Africa, scheduled to begin in October. While Green’s half‑century was the only fifty in the first innings, the rest of the line‑up struggled to convert starts into substantial contributions.
The performance will likely be scrutinised by the coaching staff as they prepare for the more challenging South African pitches. The full scorecard showed Australia at 165‑8 at one stage before being bowled out for 210. Green’s 67 was the lone half‑century, echoing his earlier century in the first Test of the series. Shoriful Islam’s 7‑48 remains a historic achievement for Bangladesh, marking the best innings figures by a Bangladeshi bowler away from home.
The match narrative featured several key moments. Starc dismissed opener Shadman Islam for a single run, then removed Mominul Haque for a duck in his second over.
He later trapped wicket‑keeper Litton Das in the slips for another duck and bowled tail‑ender Taijul Islam for 11. These quick wickets set the tone for Bangladesh’s collapse. Starc’s ten‑wicket haul moved him to tenth on the all‑time Test wicket‑takers list with 445 dismissals, just four spots behind his teammate Nathan Lyon. Starc joked about his position, saying, "Nathan (Lyon) didn't remind me that I've just stepped on the first rung of the ladder and he's still up there looking down on me," flashing a wry grin.
Lyon, for his part, claimed the crucial wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for 31 and then wrapped up the final two wickets in a rapid three‑ball burst after tea, sealing the match for Australia. His figures of three for 25 complemented Starc’s and Cummins’s efforts, showcasing a well‑balanced attack of pace and spin. Overall, the two‑day victory demonstrated Australia's ability to bounce back from adversity, leveraging their world‑class bowling unit to dominate a side that had previously stunned them. The series now stands level, and both teams will look to refine their strategies ahead of future challenges, with Australia hoping to sharpen their batting while Bangladesh will aim to build on the moments of promise they displayed despite the heavy defeat.