Brief Scores: Australia (210) beat Bangladesh (64 and 95) by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test
Mitchell Starc produced a devastating spell of fast bowling as Australia bounced back from their shock defeat in Darwin to crush Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test in Mackay, levelling the two-match series.
Australia wrapped up the match in less than two days, with Starc finishing with 10 wickets for 51 runs, his fourth 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was also the second-shortest Test on Australian soil. Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in their first innings and could manage only 95 in the second, becoming the first time they had been dismissed for under 100 in both innings of a Test.
Australia vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test Day 2: HIGHLIGHTS
Australia, meanwhile, posted 210 in their first innings, securing a 146-run lead despite having started the day with only two wickets in hand. Their total was the fourth-lowest by a team to win a Test by an innings. Starc was relentless from the moment Bangladesh began their second innings. Shadman Islam was squared up once again, edging the left-arm quick towards point where Marnus Labuschagne took a straightforward catch.
Mominul Haque followed with the very next delivery. A fuller ball nipped back in and clipped his off stump, leaving Bangladesh in immediate trouble.
Tanzid Hasan then holed out at deep fine leg after attempting to hook Pat Cummins in the pacer’s first over.
Najmul Hossain Shanto offered some resistance at the other end. He attacked Starc with five boundaries, including four authoritative drives down the ground, along with a streaky edge through the slips.
But Shanto’s counterattack came to an end when he tried to force the issue after lunch and chipped Nathan Lyon straight to long-off. He departed for 31.
Litton Das had another miserable outing. Starc found his edge and Steven Smith took the catch at third slip, leaving Litton with his third consecutive duck of the match. Remarkably, he did not score a single run across the Test.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz edged a wide delivery from Cummins, who then accounted for Hasan Mahmud after the batter gloved a sharp bouncer towards short leg.
Starc returned for his third spell and completed his 10-wicket haul by removing Taijul Islam, leaving Bangladesh with little hope of extending the match into a third day.
Bangladesh lasted only three balls after the tea break.
Lyon struck again when Taskin Ahmed edged to Smith at first slip. The catch was Smith’s 219th in Test cricket, moving him level with Joe Root at the top of the list for most catches by a non-wicketkeeper.
Starc then took his fourth catch of the innings when Shoriful Islam skied Lyon towards point, bringing Bangladesh’s resistance to an emphatic end.
Earlier, Australia had resumed on the second morning with only two wickets remaining after Bangladesh had made inroads late on the opening day.
Cameron Green and Lyon made the most of the opportunity, adding 38 runs for the ninth wicket. Green reached an important half-century and struck the ball cleanly during the morning session before Shoriful Islam ended his innings with a yorker that trapped him lbw.
Lyon then took the attack to Taskin, smashing him for a four and a six in a 17-run over before Josh Hazlewood became the final Australian wicket to fall.
Shoriful finished with career-best figures of 7 for 47, but the match belonged to Starc.
After Bangladesh’s stunning victory in Darwin, Australia responded in emphatic fashion in Mackay. Starc’s pace and movement tore through the visitors twice, while Bangladesh’s batting offered little resistance as the hosts levelled the series in ruthless fashion.
– Ends
Source link
[ad_3]
