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A ten-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc helped Australia crush Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs within two days, ending the two-match Test series drawn with a vengeful performance from bowlers after a loss in the first Test at Darwin.
After a dismal all-round performance led to Australia's first-ever loss to Bangladesh on their home soil, the bowling group, particularly Starc, responded with vengeance and trademark Aussie fire, not allowing Bangladesh to cross the 100-run mark in either innings. Australia's flaws with the bat, however, continue to persist, and the team would want them addressed ahead of the Test series in South Africa in October. Australia won the toss and opted to field first. Starc unleashed his fury on Bangladesh batters, getting his five-wicket haul in the first seven overs and reducing Bangladesh to 12/5. Starc's fifer was a special one as four of five batters got out for a duck. He got some assistance from skipper Pat Cummins (3/25). Bangladesh was 39/9, but avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest Test score (their lowest score being 43), as Shoriful Islam (14) emerged as their top-scorer. With four batters touching double digits, Bangladesh was cleaned up for 64, with Starc (6/12 in 10 overs) bowling yet another legendary spell, entering the top ten Test wicket-takers by overtaking Dale Steyn. In their first innings, Australia was reduced to 41/3, but Steve Smith (42 in 74 balls, with six fours) and Cameron Green did some repair job with a 77-run stand. However, after Starc, it was another left-arm pacer, Shoriful Islam, who did the damage. He reduced the Aussies to 148/8. Cameron Green (67 in 105 balls, with 10 fours) and Nathan Lyon (32 in 62 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played important knocks to take Australia past the 200-run mark. Australia was skittled out for 210 at the start of day two, with Shoriful (7/48) recording the best-ever figures by a Bangladesh bowler away from home. Australia led by 146 runs. In their second innings, Bangladesh was skittled out for just 95 runs, with the trio of Starc (4/39), Cummins (3/10) and Nathan Lyon (3/25) running rampant on Bangladesh. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (31 in 46 balls, with six fours) and Mushfiqur Rahim's (29* in 80 balls, with three fours) put on a 27-run stand for the fourth wicket was the highest point of Bangladesh's batting, as they collapsed from 51/3 to 95 all out. Starc got the 'Player of the Match' award for his ten-wicket haul. (ANI)
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