Australia tightened their grip on the second Test in Mackay with a mix of pace, patience and late resistance, leaving Bangladesh staring down the barrel of an innings defeat. Mitchell Starc struck early again, Cameron Green added a valuable 67, and the hosts turned a chaotic match into a commanding position by the end of day two.
Australia build a heavy lead after Green’s composed effort
Resuming at 165-8, Australia extended their first-innings total to 210 before being bowled out, setting Bangladesh a target they will likely struggle to absorb after their own first-innings collapse to 64. The result was a 146-run lead, a gap that feels even larger given the way the pitch and momentum have shifted in Australia’s favour.
Green was the backbone of the innings. The all-rounder brought up his eighth Test half-century and kept the scoreboard ticking with calm, efficient batting, showing the kind of control Australia needed after a bruising opening day.
He had already scored a century in the first Test in Darwin, which Bangladesh won by nine wickets, but this time his innings was about survival, tempo and stitching together enough runs to keep the pressure on. Nathan Lyon also played a handy supporting role, and the pair helped Australia push past the 200 mark before the lower order added a few more crucial runs.
Shoriful delivers a career-best spell
Bangladesh did not fold easily. Shoriful Islam produced the best bowling figures of his career, finishing with 7-48 in a spell that stood out even in a match packed with wickets. It was also the best return by a Bangladeshi bowler in an away Test, a significant milestone despite the team’s difficult position.
His accuracy and late movement repeatedly tested Australia’s middle and lower order. Green eventually fell to an inswinging yorker that struck him on the toe, and Shoriful’s reaction reflected both relief and reward after an intense day in the field.
“Shoriful bowled with real intent and control. That kind of spell can change a bowler’s career narrative, even if the team is still under pressure,” one observer noted after the innings.
Starc keeps the pressure high
If Bangladesh hoped for a calmer start to Australia’s second innings response, Starc removed that possibility almost immediately. The left-armer had already done serious damage in Bangladesh’s first innings, taking 6-12 from 10 overs, including five wickets in just 22 balls.
He picked up where he left off on Sunday morning, striking twice in quick succession in his second over. Shadman Islam edged one to start the slide, and veteran batter Mominul Haque was then bowled for a golden duck, leaving Bangladesh reeling before they could settle in.
The rhythm of the match has been relentless. Day one featured 18 wickets in a frenetic session-by-session battle, and day two quickly reinforced how little margin either side has been given. Australia’s pace attack has kept forcing mistakes, while Bangladesh’s batting has struggled to absorb the pressure long enough to build a platform.
Bangladesh need a response, and fast
The visitors now face a daunting challenge. Not only must they recover from a huge first-innings deficit, they must do so against a pace attack that has already dismantled them once and appears to be hunting in pairs again.
The equation is simple but brutal: survive the new-ball threat, rebuild with discipline and avoid another collapse. If Bangladesh lose wickets in clusters, the match could end well before any real resistance is mounted.
That said, Test cricket can still swing sharply when pressure turns into panic. Bangladesh have already shown in this series that they can unsettle Australia, but they will need a far more measured batting effort to avoid a swift finish in Mackay.
What this means for the Test
Australia now hold all the momentum, and the lead is big enough to dictate terms with both bat and ball. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are fighting not just to save the Test but to avoid another damaging collapse under relentless pace pressure.
With Starc in rhythm and Shoriful producing a standout spell of his own, the contest has become a duel of standout individual performances. The difference is that Australia’s contributions have put them in control, while Bangladesh’s best effort has still left them trailing badly.
| Team | First Innings | Lead/Deficit |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 64 all out | -146 |
| Australia | 210 all out | +146 |
With two days left, Bangladesh need something close to a rescue act. Australia, meanwhile, are already shaping the game on their terms and pressing for an innings victory that would underline their control of the second Test.
