Australia thrash Bangladesh by innings and 51 runs in Mackay to draw series

Evergreen paceman Mitchell Starc took four wickets and spinner Nathan Lyon three to propel Australia to a thumping innings and 51-run victory over Bangladesh in Mackay on Sunday as the hosts hit back hard after their humiliation in Darwin.

Left-armer Starc finished with match figures of 10-51 as Bangladesh crashed before tea on day two, bowled out for 95 in 38.3 overs at Great Barrier Reef Stadium in another batting disaster following their first innings 64.

With the two-match series split 1-1, Pat Cummins’ Australia responded well after the nine-wicket loss in Darwin and showed their ageing attack remains a force on a bouncy wicket.

“Much better week. We knew we weren’t at our best, or what we expect of ourselves, in Darwin,” said 36-year-old Starc, who swept the Player of the Match and Series awards after finishing with 12 wickets at an average of 12.08.

Australia has taken swift revenge on Bangladesh in the shortest test match on Aussie soil in almost a century. pic.twitter.com/R3ewFYlBZh

“What we expect of ourselves this week is what we got, particularly with the ball and the wicket that aided us with the ball.”

As emphatic as the victory was, it may do little to ease concerns about Australia’s batting before they meet the reigning World Test Championship winners South Africa on a daunting three-Test tour in October.

Australia were bowled out for 210 in reply to Bangladesh’s 64, with Cameron Green (67) alone making more than 50 on what Lyon described as a good Test wicket.

Bangladesh needed 146 runs to make the hosts bat again but slumped to 39 for three by lunch and collapsed in the middle session, limping to 95 for eight at tea.

Starc, who took a stunning 6-12 in the first innings, was Australia’s chief wrecking ball again with 4-39.

On a hat-trick AGAIN for the second time in two days 🤯 #PlayoftheDay | @NRMAInsurance | #AUSvBAN pic.twitter.com/9VNCPWLq5x

He had opener Shadman Islam caught for one before bowling Mominul Haque for a duck in his second over. He later had wicketkeeper Litton Das caught in the slips for a second successive duck and bowled tailender Taijul Islam for 11.

Already the most prolific left-arm pace bowler in Tests, Starc moved to 10th on the all-time Test wickets list with 445 dismissals, four spots behind Lyon.

“Nathan [Lyon] didn’t remind me that I’ve just stepped on the first rung of the ladder and he’s still up there looking down on me,” Starc said with a wry grin.