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Live sport on SN this weekendBangladesh bite back after Starc sizzles for Australia
Joel Gould, AAP •  August 22nd, 2026 8:45 pm
Mitchell Starc was Australia's chief destroyer against Bangladesh, taking six wickets | Photo: James Ross/AAP
Australia's top-order batting woes continued after Mitchell Starc's six-wicket blitz as Bangladesh fought back on an extraordinary opening day of the second Test in Mackay.
Bangladesh's own left-arm speedster Shoriful Islam, who had recovered from a side strain that kept him out of the first Test, cut a swathe through Australia's batting to claim 6/35 off 11 lethal overs in his best-ever return in an innings.
Australia were 165/8 at stumps on Saturday after 18 wickets fell on a Great Barrier Reef Arena surface that assisted the pace bowlers.
Cameron Green was unbeaten at stumps after bowlers dominated the first day of the second Test | Photo: James Ross/AAP
In-form No. 5 Cameron Green (51no) held the innings together after making 104 in the first Test in Darwin.
Earlier Starc (6/12) had five wickets by his 22nd delivery as the visitors collapsed to be all out for 64 off just 34 overs.
"I think it is a very good day-one wicket and played very similar to a Gabba wicket," Starc said.
"You see a little bit of tennis-ball bounce early on day one at the Gabba and likewise today. Later on today, and probably again tomorrow, it is going to quicken up again when a bit of the hardness wears off.
Marnus Labuschagne's lean patch has continued, out for just four runs in the second Test in Mackay | Photo: James Ross/AAP
"It swung throughout the day on a pretty helter-skelter day, but I would say good bowling led to 18 wickets today, as opposed to the wicket."
Australia opener Matt Renshaw failed to make the most of his recall, and No.3 Marnus Labuschagne's struggles continued when the hosts batted.
Renshaw, opening the innings in his first Test since 2023, edged to slip after making just eight, before Shoriful claimed two wickets in his first over.
Travis Head (22) chopped on for the third time in a row in this series.
Steve Smith was looking good before being trapped in front for 42 in Mackay | Photo: James Ross/AAP
Battling Labuschagne made four before he missed a delivery on leg stump that hit his thigh pad and rebounded on to the stumps.
Steve Smith (42) was lbw to Shoriful with one he reviewed. The ball was just shaving the off stump and the star No.4 threw his head back in disappointment at his wretched luck.
Shoriful trapped Beau Webster in front and blasted out Pat Cummins, both for ducks, then cleaned up Starc (one) in a devastating burst.
Starc earlier took a wicket with the first ball of a Test match for a record fourth time before skittling a bumbling Bangladesh batting line-up.
Bangladesh had no answer to Starc's swing and pace, Australia captain Pat Cummins chiming in with 3/25.
The total was the lowest by a team batting first in Australia since 1932 when South Africa were dismissed for 36.
The star of the show for Australia on Saturday was Starc.
It was the sixth-fastest five-wicket haul in Test history, seven balls shy of Starc's own all-time record of 15 deliveries against West Indies in Kingston last year.
He took his tally of Test wickets to 441 and moved to 10th on the all-time list, going two past South Africa great Dale Steyn.
Cummins won the toss, inserted the visitors and Starc quickly took over.
Opener Shadman Islam played across a swinging delivery and edged straight to Green in the gully, just as the sold-out crowd settled into their seats.
A lazy waft by Tanzid Hasan presented third slip Webster with a gift. Next ball captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was given lbw, another tight call, as the first three batters all fell for ducks.
When Mominul Haque (nine) edged to Green at gully, Starc had an incredible 4/4 off three overs.
Webster, much to Starc's dismay, dropped an absolute sitter in the slips off Litton Das, but it made no difference.
The next ball Starc had his fifth wicket when he successfully reviewed an lbw shout, much to Webster's relief.
Alex Carey and Cummins had spoken before the Test about their determination to atone for the nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in Darwin.
They did exactly that with the ball, but stumbled with the bat.
Tune into Sport Nation Extra for live and free ball-by-ball commentary of the second Test between Australia and Bangladesh - thanks to SEN Cricket - download the app today on Google Play and the App Store.
