Australia secured a commanding innings and 51-run victory over Bangladesh on the second day of the Mackay Test, successfully squaring the series at 1-1. The match concluded shortly after the tea break, with the hosts dismantling the visitors for just 95 runs in their second innings, following a dismal first-innings total of 64. Mitchell Starc was the standout performer, adding 4 for 39 to his initial haul to finish with a match total of ten wickets.
Resuming their overnight score of 165, Australia added 45 runs to reach a total of 210, establishing a substantial 146-run lead. Cameron Green, who remained unbeaten on 51 at the start of play, was instrumental in pushing the total past the 200-run mark. He shared a valuable 38-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon, who contributed a resilient 32 not out. For Bangladesh, Shoriful Islam claimed a seventh wicket, setting a record for the best bowling figures by a Bangladeshi pacer in Test cricket.
The Australian bowling attack was relentless from the outset. Starc struck twice in his second over, removing Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque for 1 and 0, respectively. Although captain Najmul Hossain Shanto prevented a hat-trick, Pat Cummins soon dismissed Tanzid Hasan Tamim to leave the visitors reeling at 24/3. Shanto eventually fell for 31, marking the start of a collapse as the lower order failed to reach double figures against the disciplined Australian bowling.
The final session saw the match reach its swift conclusion. Litton Das became Starc’s tenth victim of the game, while Cummins accounted for Mehidy Hasan Miaz and Hasan Mahmud in consecutive overs. Nathan Lyon finalized the result by cleaning up the tail just three balls after the break, securing his own three-wicket haul. The final scorecard reflected the lopsided nature of the contest: Bangladesh 64 and 95 lost to Australia 210 by an innings and 51 runs. Key contributors for Bangladesh included Shanto with 31 and Mushfiqur Rahim with 29, while Australian efforts were bolstered by Steve Smith’s 42 and Cummins’ 3-10 in the second innings. The report also notes that claiming 4 for 39 to complete a match ten-for, mitchell Starc was among the wickets early again in the second innings as well. The report also notes that shanto, the fourth man to fall, had scored 31 off Bangladesh’s 51 at the time of his dismissal as Lyon joined the party.
