Starc leaves Bangladesh reeling, sets two records

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc left Bangladesh in tatters, taking five wickets in quick succession and setting two new world records early on Day 1 of the second and final Test at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Saturday.

The left-arm quick removed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam with the first delivery -- the fourth time Starc has taken a wicket with the opening ball of a Test. His previous three came against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2016, England in Brisbane in 2021 and India in Adelaide in 2024.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

He surpassed West Indies pacer Pedro Collins, who had also taken a wicket with the first delivery of a Test on three occasions. Interestingly, all three of Collins’ wickets came against the same batter -- Bangladesh’s Hannan Sarkar. Collins dismissed Sarkar with the opening delivery of a Test in Dhaka in 2002 before repeating the feat in St Lucia in May 2004 and Kingston in June 2004.

Starc also moved past England great James Anderson for the most instances of taking a wicket in the first over of a Test. The Australian now has nine such dismissals, one more than Anderson.

After removing Shadman, Starc struck again in his second over, dismissing opener Tanzid Tamim and Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto off successive deliveries. All three batters fell for ducks.

Starc struck again in the fifth over, having Mominul Haque edge one to Cameron Green at gully. Mominul walked back after making nine off 16 balls. Starc then removed Litton Das for a five-ball duck in the following over to claim the fastest five-wicket haul in Test cricket history.

Litton had survived a scare just one delivery earlier when he fended one back towards Beau Webster at third slip, but the right-hander could not survive for long.

Starc needed just 15 balls to complete his 19th Test five-for, bettering the previous record held by fellow Australian Ernie Toshack, who took five wickets in 17 deliveries against India in Brisbane in 1947.

After seven overs, Bangladesh were reeling at 12 for 5, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz yet to open his account after facing two deliveries and Mushfiqur Rahim unbeaten on two off 15 balls.

Australia opt to bowl first in Mackay as Tigers eye more history

Australia have won the toss and elected to field first in the second and final Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Saturday.

Bangladesh lead the series 1-0, following their incredible nine-wicket win in the first match in Darwin last week -- also the Tigers’ first-ever Test win on Australian soil. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Co will be eyeing more history in Mackay, which is set to be Australia’s 12th Test venue.

Both teams made just a single change each for the game. Bangladesh recalled pacer Shoriful Islam, who missed the first game due to injury, to replace Ebadot Hossain.

Australia, meanwhile, had already announced their playing XI a day earlier, with Matthew Renshaw replacing Jake Weatherald at the top of the order. Renshaw, who has two first-class centuries at the Mackay venue, returns to Test cricket for the first time since 2023.

Australia have otherwise resisted wholesale changes after their heavy defeat in Darwin, retaining the same bowling attack, with skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood leading the pace attack and Nathan Lyon providing the spin option.

For Bangladesh, a series victory would be their first against Australia and their first on Australian soil. It would also see Bangladesh complete a historic whitewash on Australian soil -- a feat achieved only once before, by England in 1886-87, 139 years ago.

It would also be only the third time, after the West Indies in 2009 and Pakistan in 2024, that the Tigers have won both Tests of an away series.

Meanwhile, a draw in this game would also see Bangladesh take the series -- becoming only the sixth visiting team -- after England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and India -- to win a Test series down under, and only the second Asian side to achieve the feat.

India needed four attempts to draw a series (1980-81) and 12 attempts to win one (2018-19), while Pakistan drew on their first attempt (1964-65) but are still searching for a series victory after 14 attempts. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have suffered seven straight series losses since 1988.

The challenge for Bangladesh, however, is likely to be greater in Mackay.

Australia will be wounded after the Darwin defeat and under pressure to restore their pride.

Playing XIs:

Australia: 1 Travis Head, 2 Matt Renshaw, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Cameron Green, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Beau Webster, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood

Bangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Shadman Islam, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Hasan Mahmud, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Shoriful Islam