Australia Crush Bangladesh to Level Test Series in Mackay
Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 in their first innings and 95 in their second, ending the match after 667 deliveries — the second-shortest Test played in Australia and the fourth-shortest in history.
Australia needed only two days to erase the memory of their defeat in Darwin, beating Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs on Sunday to level the two-Test series 1-1.
Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 in their first innings and 95 in their second, ending the match after 667 deliveries — the second-shortest Test played in Australia and the fourth-shortest in history.
Mitchell Starc was the main reason Australia never allowed Bangladesh into the match. He took 6 for 12 in the first innings and followed it with 4 for 39 in the second, finishing with 10 wickets. He was named player of the match and player of the series after taking 12 wickets in the series.
Bangladesh’s bowlers had briefly put the match back in play. Shoriful Islam took 7 for 48, the first seven-wicket haul by a Bangladesh fast bowler in Test cricket, as Australia were bowled out for 210.
But a 146-run deficit proved too much.
Bangladesh lost five wickets for 63 before Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz tried to hold the innings together. Najmul Hossain Shanto made 31, the highest score of the innings, before Nathan Lyon had him caught by Starc.
Mushfiqur stayed for 80 balls and was unbeaten on 29 when the innings ended. Lyon finished with 3 for 25 and Starc took four wickets.
Taskin Ahmed was the ninth wicket at 87, caught by Steven Smith at slip off Lyon. Shoriful lasted two balls before slicing Lyon to backward point, where Starc took the catch to finish the match.
Australia’s own batting was hardly dominant. Cameron Green made 67 and Steven Smith 42, while Shoriful repeatedly troubled the Australian lineup.
But Australia’s attack made the decisive difference.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said the extra bounce and movement had exposed an area his team still needs to address.
“We didn’t play our best this Test match,” he said, adding that Bangladesh need more opportunities to play in Australia rather than waiting years between tours.
Starc saw the result as the response Australia had wanted after Darwin.
“A much better week,” he said. “What we expected from ourselves this week is what we got.”