Australia beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in Mackay to draw Test series 1-1

Series leveling victory in two days

Australia leveled the two-match Test series against Bangladesh at 1-1 after securing a victory by an innings and 51 runs on Sunday at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. The match concluded inside two days after Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 and 95 runs. Australia had entered the contest under pressure following a nine-wicket defeat in the opening match in Darwin. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc led the bowling attack, taking match figures of 10-51 across both innings. Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins claimed three wickets each in the second innings to seal the result just after tea.

We needed to bounce back and it was a great couple of days from the lads.

Starc leads bowling attack on Mackay debut

The fixture was the first Test held at Great Barrier Reef Arena, where fast bowlers extracted significant pace and bounce. Mitchell Starc opened Day 1 with a spell of 6-12, taking five wickets in 22 deliveries, as Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 in their first innings. In the second innings on Sunday, Starc removed Shadman Islam for one and Mominul Haque for zero on consecutive deliveries before lunch. He finished the second innings with 4-39, taking his career tally to 445 Test wickets and moving to 10th on the all-time Test wicket list. Starc earned Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors with 12 wickets at an average of 12.08 across the two matches.

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

Green and lower order build decisive lead

Australia built a first-innings lead of 146 runs after posting 210 in response to the opening total from Bangladesh. All-rounder Cameron Green top-scored with 67 off 105 deliveries, hitting 10 boundaries following his century in the Darwin Test. Bangladesh fast bowler Shoriful Islam claimed figures of 7-48, registering the best bowling return by a Bangladeshi bowler in an away Test match. Australia resumed Sunday morning at 165-8 before Nathan Lyon struck an unbeaten 32, combining with Josh Hazlewood for a final-wicket partnership of 24 runs. Taijul Islam ended the innings by dismissing Hazlewood for six.

Bangladesh batting struggles and tour schedule

Bangladesh required 146 runs to force Australia to bat a second time but slipped to 39-3 by lunch on Day 2. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored with 31 from 46 deliveries before falling to Lyon, while the remaining batters failed to establish partnerships against the pace attack. The defeat concluded Bangladesh's first Test tour of Australia in 23 years, with their previous visit occurring in 2003. Australia now prepare for a three-Test series in October against reigning World Test Championship winners South Africa, part of a 12-month schedule featuring up to 21 Test matches.

I believe if we are able to get more chances in similar kind of conditions here, it will help us. And that's what we want.