Mitchell Starc’s 10-wicket haul powers Australia to series-levelling win over Bangladesh | Cricket News
Mitchell Starc produced another devastating spell in Mackay to finish with a 10-wicket match haul as Australia crushed Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test, levelling the two-match series 1-1 inside two days.Starc returned figures of 10-51, adding four wickets on Sunday to his remarkable 6-12 on the opening day. Bangladesh were bowled out for just 64 in their first innings before Australia also found batting difficult on a spicy pitch at Mackay in northern Queensland.The victory provided a significant boost for Australia after their surprise defeat in the opening Test in Darwin.Starc’s performance also moved him to 10th on the all-time Test wicket-takers’ list. The left-arm quick now has 445 wickets, overtaking South African great Dale Steyn.It was Starc’s fourth 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon also played key roles with three wickets each as Bangladesh were dismissed for 95 in their second innings.Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 31, while Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten on 29. The Bangladesh captain and experienced wicketkeeper-batter received little support from the rest of the line-up, with only two other batters reaching double figures.Australia had resumed their first innings at 165-8 and added 45 runs to their overnight total. Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon initially put on 28 for the ninth wicket before Shoriful Islam ended Green’s resistance.Shoriful produced a searing inswinging yorker that struck Green on the front pad, with the decision confirmed on review. Green departed for 67 from 105 balls, having struck 10 boundaries. It followed his breakthrough home century in the first Test at Darwin.Shoriful finished with 7-48, the best bowling figures by a Bangladesh player in a Test away from home.Lyon, unbeaten on 32, and Josh Hazlewood took Australia beyond 200 before Hazlewood fell for six to Taijul Islam. Australia were eventually dismissed for 210, giving them a crucial 146-run first-innings lead.Bangladesh’s second innings quickly became another Starc show.After getting through his first over, Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam for one in Starc’s next over, with Marnus Labuschagne taking the edge. Mominul Haque then shouldered arms to the following delivery, which crashed into his off stump.Starc returned after lunch to dismiss Litton Das for another duck. The wicketkeeper-batter faced 27 balls across three innings in the series without scoring.The Australia quick completed his 10-wicket haul shortly before tea, bowling Taijul Islam for seven with a delivery that breached the gap between bat and pad.Starc finished with 4-39 in the second innings and narrowly missed his best Test match figures of 11-94, recorded against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2016.Lyon completed the formalities after tea, taking the final two wickets in the first over of the session to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings for 95.The two-Test Top End series marks the beginning of a demanding 12-month period for Australia, with the team scheduled to play 20 Tests, including tours of South Africa, India and England.
