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Mitchell Starc surpassed England pacer James Anderson for most instances of first-over wickets in Test cricket, while Bangladesh avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest score in the longest format during the second Test at Mackay on Saturday.
During the first innings, as Australia opted to field, Starc started the innings with the first-ball wicket of Shadman Islam for a duck, registering the ninth instance of a first-over wicket in Tests, going past Anderson (eight such instances). After an embarrassing loss to Darwin, Starc started with a vengeance, getting a five-wicket haul within the first seven overs, reducing Bangladesh to 12/5. Further impetus from skipper Pat Cummins (3/25) caused them to collapse to 39/9. However, Bangladesh avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest-ever Test total (their lowest being 43 against West Indies in 2018). Instead, they were skittled out for just 64, with Starc getting a sensational 6/12 in 10 overs. He has also gone past South African legend Dale Steyn (439 wickets) and become the 10th-highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 441 wickets at an average of 26.27, with 19 five-wicket hauls and three ten-fers and best figures of 7/58. However, at the end of the tea break, Australia was 50/3, with Steve Smith (6*) and Cameron Green (1*) unbeaten. Travis Head (22), Matt Renshaw (8) and Marnus Labuschagne (4), with Shoriful Islam (2/6) and Taskin Ahmed (1/26) reducing Australia to 41/3. (ANI)
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