Australia beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay
Australia beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on the second day, Mitchell Starc taking 10 wickets in the match as the two-Test series was drawn 1-1.
The result delivered a prompt response for Australia after last Sunday’s nine-wicket loss in Darwin, a defeat that was widely seen as one of Test cricket’s greatest upsets. The match finished just after the tea interval on day two, ending what had been scheduled as a five-day Test in two sessions.
Australia added 45 runs to their overnight total before being dismissed for 210, Cameron Green top-scoring with 67 and Lyon contributing an unbeaten 32 to give the tourists a first-innings lead of 146. Bangladesh left-arm paceman Shoriful Islam finished as the pick of the bowlers in that innings with 7-48.
Bangladesh replied poorly in their second innings, being skittled for 95 in 38.3 overs; Najmul Hossain Shanto contributed 31. The visitors lost both openers inside eight overs and had slumped to 24-3 before collapsing to 95-8 by tea, with Lyon taking the final two wickets in three balls.
Starc finished with match figures of 10-51 after producing 6-12 in the first innings and 4-39 in the second, having earlier helped bowl Bangladesh out for 64 in their first innings. He was named Player of the Match and Series after taking 12 wickets at an average of 12.08.
Captain Pat Cummins, 33, said: "A lot of things went right these couple days and a lot of things went wrong last week," and he added after taking 3-10 in the second innings: "We needed to bounce back, and it was a great couple of days from the lads. I thought everyone was sharp. It was a great start and we didn't really let up after that." Starc, 36, reflected on the week: "Much better week. We knew we weren't at our best, or what we expect of ourselves, in Darwin. What we expect of ourselves this week is what we got, particularly with the ball and the wicket that aided us with the ball."
Starc has moved to 10th on the all-time Test wicket list with 445, 126 shy of Lyon's haul in sixth place.
Australia's next Test program is a three-match tour of world Test champions South Africa in October.
