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Mitchell Starc has rocked the Bangladesh batting order for the second time in as many days in Mackay to secure Australia victory by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test.
For the third time in the last seven matches, a Test in Australia has finished inside two days after Starc and captain Pat Cummins (3-10) ripped through Bangladesh, who batted poorly.
Bangladesh’s nine-wicket win in Darwin in the first Test meant the series was drawn 1-1.
Starc took 6-12 as Bangladesh were dismissed for just 64 on day one. He was just as lethal on Sunday and his 4-39 took his match tally to 10 wickets for a fourth time in his career.
It was Starc and the bowlers that once again out-shone the Australian batters.
Australia’s first innings total of 210 was the fourth-lowest in Test history to secure an innings win.
“It seemed to happen in fast-forward,” Cummins said.
“The pitch was pretty good. It didn’t really feel like a 30-wicket, five-session Test match, but it seems to be the way a few of these Test matches are going.
“There was some really good bowling in there at times, some below average batting – myself included – so that’s probably why it was a bit accelerated.”
Bangladesh were bowled out straight after tea, with Nathan Lyon taking two wickets in three balls after the break to leave Mushfiqur Rahim (29no) stranded.
“It is disappointing, to be really honest, but I think the toss was a big factor,” captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
“Especially in the first innings batting was quite difficult, but no excuses - we didn’t bat well and they bowled very well.
“The challenge was there but there were some technical areas we need to fix.”
After Australia took a 146-run lead, Starc ripped out opener Shadman Islam (one) and Mominul Haque with successive deliveries in his second over to be on a hat-trick for the second time in the match.
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Starc was in the game again when Tanzid Hasan (nine) skied a Cummins delivery straight to him at fine leg.
Shanto (31) gifted Lyon his first wicket of the Test with Starc gobbling up the catch at long off. Starc then snapped up Litton Das for his second duck of the match and the back of the Bangladesh batting had been broken.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s left-arm quick Shoriful Islam returned the all-time best away figures in an innings for his country in taking 7-48. His finest career haul surpassed left-arm spinner Taijul Islam’s briefly-held record of 7-138, set in Harare in June.
Allrounder Cameron Green was ninth man out for 67 to take his series aggregate to 184, the best of either side, and secure his spot on the plane to South Africa for the three-Test series in October.
The ball that dismissed Green was an unplayable inswinger that hit him on the toe in front, a delivery that Pakistan great Wasim Akram would have been proud of.
Green and Lyon resumed on day two with Australia 8-165 and the pair added a valuable 38 for the ninth wicket, with Lyon making a cameo of 32.
Bangladesh’s batting in this Test has been awful, but they confirmed a future star in Shoriful, who missed the first Test with a side strain.
The 190cm tall tearaway is just 25 and appears set to lead the attack for years to come.
