Australian paceman Mitchell Starc took five wickets in his first four overs of the second test against Bangladesh in a brutal spell of swing bowling on a bouncy, Gabba-style wicket in Mackay, Queensland on Saturday (August 22, 2026).
Opener Shadman Islam was out with the first ball of the match after sending a thick edge flying to Cameron Green in the gully. It dropped Jake Weatherald and recalled Matt Renshaw, who will open the batting, after a surprising loss to Bangladesh in the first test last weekend in Darwin. Bangladesh’s first test win in Australia put pressure on national cricket selectors for an overhaul, but the bulk of the aging squad was retained despite being outplayed in Darwin, where the likes of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanzid Hasan made the most of the tropical conditions.
The left-armer removed both Bangladesh openers, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicketkeeper Litton Das, for ducks to leave Bangladesh at 12 for five. Meanwhile, Opener Tanzid Hasan followed in Starc’s next over with a loose drive , sending a nick to Beau Webster in the slips, before Shanto was trapped lbw on the next ball, leaving Bangladesh at 9 for three. Australia announced a 13-man squad earlier this week, with only one change for the second test. The match began under sunny skies at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, a coastal city in Queensland state about 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of the capital Brisbane.
“The wicket looks pretty good but if there is any moisture in it it might be this morning,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said.