Australia mauled Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay to level the two-Test series after their shock loss in Darwin with the Australian bowlers bouncing back in emphatic fashion.
Several standout performances led to impressive ratings for the fast bowlers, but batting issues still persist with several members of the top seven under the pump heading into October’s series in South Africa.
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One player who came into this Top End series as a whipping boy enhanced his reputation greatly, but others left selectors with more questions than answers.
Here are foxsports.com.au’s player ratings from the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin!
A disappointing series for Australia’s Ashes hero with the bat as he got a start and chopped in all three innings. Head being unable to recreate his dominance of England triggers discussion about his best place in the batting order. Australian great Mark Waugh was vocal throughout day two in Mackay that Head needs to return to the middle order than open. Regardless of what the Australian hierarchy decide for South Africa, this series has reaffirmed Head’s standing as a big game player. In recent years, he has piled on centuries against the likes of England and India, but has not filled his boots against lesser ranked sides.
Not the homecoming Weatherald would have hoped for as he was axed by the selectors after Darwin. Did a lot of hard work on the first morning on his home ground, but wafted at one too many outside off stump to fall on the stroke of drinks. Then chopped on for a third ball duck in a nightmare start to Australia’s second innings. He showcased a new-look technique, but his different approach of staying taller and more leg side to be better equipped for full balls targeting the stumps, created problems outside off stump. The six-Test opener is going to need a big summer for South Australia to fight his way back into the team despite boasting a national contract.
A brief reintroduction into Test cricket for the opening batter after three-and-a-half years out of the side. Was caught in the slips for 8 in Mackay with former Australian captain Allan Border unimpressed by Renshaw playing across the line, urging him to play straight to avoid such an outside edge. It is an incredibly small sample size to work off as he was denied a second hit by the bowlers’ brilliance. It would be a tough call to leave him out in South Africa after replacing Jake Weatherald at the top of the order.
With Weatherald already axed, Labuschagne is the most under pressure member of Australia’s top order. Failed to fire in either Test, but teased with a score of 31 in the second innings in Darwin where the Australian No.3 looked much better before yorking himself and being bowled by tweaker Taijul Islam. Fell in unlucky fashion in Mackay with the ball bouncing onto leg stump off his thigh pad. Labuschagne still has not scored a Test century since the Old Trafford Test of the 2023 Ashes. His place in the team going forward is a huge debate topic with former Australian batters Mark Waugh and Michael Hussey split on whether he should go to South Africa – Waugh said he might have played his last Test, while Hussey believes no contender is worthy of pushing him out of the team.
Another prolific series for Australia’s champion batter, but Smith would be disappointed not to post three figures in either Test. He got starts in every innings, scoring 71 as his teammates crumbled on day one in Darwin. He then fell for 44 in the second dig at Marrara Stadium before making 42 on the first day in Mackay. Those two would certainly feel like missed opportunities to go big when conditions became more favourable for batting in both Tests. Especially because in both of those innings Smith looked completely untroubled before chipping a return catch to Mehidy Hasan Miraz and falling lbw to Shoriful Islam. Perhaps those missed chances will spur Smith on as he returns to South Africa for Test cricket for the first time since Sandpapergate. While Australia has many concerns about their batting line-up, at least the 37-year-old is showing no sign of worry with a bumper year ahead.
After coming into the series under pressure following an underwhelming Ashes series, Green was Australia’s best batter in the series. His second innings century in Darwin was his first Test ton on home soil and he also once again showed his fighting qualities. Earlier in his Test career Green played several crucial knocks when Australia were under the pump and a return to a more simplistic method from his younger years paid dividends in the Top End. Top-scored in the first innings in Mackay as the only batter to score a half-century as 18 wickets fell on day one. Defended better than anyone else in the series and also showed his ability to have multiple gears. Struck just four fours and one six in his patient, accumulative Darwin century. Then crunched ten boundaries in his 67 in Mackay, showing off his array of powerful strokes square of the wicket and down the ground as he clearly had grown in confidence. Locked in for South Africa now and Australia need more of these performances from Green going forward.
Australia’s wicketkeeper was sensational with the bat during the Ashes, but would be kicking himself for not getting a score in this series. Carey was tidy behind the stumps as always, but failed to make the most of two starts with the bat. The South Australian chopped on for 19 and then fell caught behind to a beauty from off spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 30. Mehidy got him again in Mackay with Carey skying an attempted slog and walking before the catch was even taken at mid on. It was only two dismissals, but Carey is one of the nation’s finest players of spin – having scored a career-best century in Sri Lanka early last year. In reflection, Carey may have been disappointed with himself for going away from his natural instincts. He parked his array of sweeps and attempted to play straight in defence and attack, which ultimately did not work. The question that lingers is Carey’s best place in the order. He walked out at No.6 in this series after being promoted during the Ashes, but if a reshuffle of Australia’s top seven is on the cards, Carey may be back to No.7 in South Africa.
A tough series for the towering Tasmanian all-rounder – only No.11 Josh Hazlewood scored less runs for the Australians across the two Tests. He was knocked over by two beauties in Darwin with seamer Taskin Ahmed crashing into his off stump in the first innings before Mehidy did the same when the ball started turning on day four. Webster then fell for a golden duck on day one in Mackay as an incredible inswinger from left armer Shoriful Islam blew off his front pad. The 32-year-old will feel hard done as they were three fantastic deliveries, but questions will be raised of his defence. Green’s excellent returns and Australia’s short comings with the bat once again raises the debate around the need for two all-rounders in the side. Webster’s bowling was ineffective on a flat surface in Darwin, but most of his overs came to allow the quicks to change ends or once the game was effectively done in the fourth innings. Took two nice catches in the slips in the first innings in Mackay, but somehow dropped a dolly too off Mitchell Starc to rub salt into his wounds in a tough series.
The skipper was fantastic in Mackay after looking rusty in Darwin. Reaped the rewards in the second Test as he battered and bruised the middle to lower order after Starc’s demolition job. In his first Test since his one-off Ashes appearance in Adelaide due to a back issue, Cummins looked rusty. He did not miss a beat in Mackay, however, with a combination of relentless accuracy to the proper batters before peppering the tailenders with a bumper barrage. From a captaincy perspective, learned his lesson by bowling first in Mackay after batting first in Darwin. Reassured the team in the aftermath of their shock loss in the first Test that they are allowed to lose sometimes, and he will certainly be better placed to start with a bang in South Africa unlike in this series.
Australia’s marathon man took the defeat in Darwin personally and responded by running through Bangladesh in Mackay. Challenged his own record for the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history – 15 balls in the day/night Test in Jamaica last year – with a 22-ball five-fer on the first morning. Picked up where he left off in the second innings with three more scalps to end with nine for the match. Battled admirably on a flat deck in Darwin and was certainly better for the run. Charged his way into the top ten Test wicket takers of all-time in his Mackay mauling and after being player of the series in the Ashes, showed that he is once again up for the challenge as Australia embarks on a massive year ahead.
