Australia’s fast bowlers bounced back from last week’s Darwin debacle with a dominant display, but the batters once again flopped as 18 wickets fell on day one of the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay.
Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket haul, including taking five wickets in 22 balls, was the headline act for the hosts as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 before Australia reached stumps at 8/165, leading by 101 runs.
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Bangladesh’s left arm quick Shoriful Islam returned serve with a six-wicket haul of his own as Australia lost 4/3 late in the day as the middle to lower order collapsed.
Like Starc, Shoriful (6/35) had the Kookaburra hooping with only a 77-run partnership between Cameron Green (51*) and Steve Smith (42) offering any substantial resistance.
“My first five-fer today. That’s what I did in practice. I wanted to settle in the match,” Shoriful told Fox Cricket’s Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh and Alyssa Healy at the end of the day’s play.
“Thirty overs it is still moving, that’s help for us fast bowlers,” he added.
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Green followed up his century in Darwin with another fighting innings, cracking eight boundaries on his way to a half-century.
But he was unable to have any of his teammates come with him once Smith was gone, having Nathan Lyon (10*) for company as the pair survived until stumps.
Recalled opener Matthew Renshaw (8), Travis Head (22) and Marnus Labuschagne (4) all fell before the deficit was erased.
Renshaw, who replaced Jake Weatherald at the top of the order, was the first go as he was caught in the slips to bring to an end his first Test innings in three-and-a-half years after just 10 balls.
“He tried to hit that ball to the on side. That’s a delivery you need to be hitting straight back at the bowler,” former Australian captain Allan Border said on commentary.
“To me that was a slight error in technique.”
