Bangladesh were bowled out for just 64 in the first innings of the Mackay Test after a devastating spell from Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc. The visitors lasted only 34 overs, with their batting line-up unable to cope with the left-armer’s pace, movement and relentless accuracy.
The total is Bangladesh’s fourth-lowest score in Test cricket. The collapse was particularly striking given the confidence with which the team entered the second Test after securing a historic nine-wicket victory in the opening match of the series.
Bangladesh’s innings began disastrously. Starc struck with the very first delivery, dismissing Shadman Islam for a golden duck. He then continued his assault, removing Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque and Litton Das in quick succession.
By the end of the 6.4th over, Bangladesh had lost five wickets for only 12 runs. During his initial four-over spell, Starc conceded just four runs and bowled three maidens, leaving Bangladesh’s top order under severe pressure from the outset.
Starc’s five-wicket haul came from only 22 deliveries. That placed him fourth on the list of the fastest five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, underlining the extraordinary speed of Bangladesh’s early collapse. The Australian had previously produced another remarkable five-wicket burst in Jamaica against the West Indies, where he claimed five wickets from only 15 balls.
His dominance continued after the initial destruction. Starc eventually finished with six Bangladesh wickets from 10 overs, conceding only 13 runs. Six of those overs were maidens. His figures reflected not only the number of wickets he claimed but also the sustained pressure he created throughout the innings.
Bangladesh briefly faced the prospect of recording their lowest Test total when they lost their ninth wicket at 39. Their lowest score in Test cricket is 43, leaving the visitors just four runs away from an unwanted record.
Taijul Islam, however, helped his side avoid that fate. With Bangladesh’s last wicket standing, he struck Josh Hazlewood for four off the final delivery of the 30th over, taking the team beyond the 43-run mark. The late resistance prevented the innings from becoming Bangladesh’s lowest-scoring Test effort.
Shariful Islam top-scored for Bangladesh with 14 runs, although even that modest contribution was not enough to give the innings any real stability. Taijul remained unbeaten at the end, having seen the rest of the batting order dismissed around him.
The collapse represents a sharp reversal from Bangladesh’s performance in the opening Test. Their nine-wicket victory had given the visitors considerable momentum and raised expectations ahead of the second match. Instead, their batting failed almost immediately against an Australian pace attack led by an inspired Starc.
For Australia, the opening innings could hardly have gone better. Starc’s early strikes dismantled Bangladesh’s top order before the lower middle order could establish any meaningful partnership. With so little time spent at the crease, Bangladesh were unable to build the sort of innings required to put pressure on the hosts.
The responsibility now shifts to Bangladesh’s bowlers. After being dismissed for 64, they will need early wickets and sustained pressure if they are to prevent Australia from taking firm control of the Test. The match has moved rapidly, and Bangladesh will have to recover from one of their most severe Test batting collapses if they are to remain competitive in the second match of the series.
