Starc blows Bangladesh away with devastating spell

A Mitchell Starc show took over Mackay in the second Test of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh as the 36-year-old ripped through the visitors' lineup to bowl them out for 64.

With Australia choosing to bowl first after winning the toss, Starc needed just one delivery with the new ball to make an impact. The left-armer removed Shadman Islam with the opening ball of the match, as a leading edge flew to Cameron Green at gully.

It was the fourth time Starc had taken a wicket with the first delivery of a Test.

From there, the carnage continued.

Starc struck again in the third over, dismissing Tanzid Hasan off the first, before trapping Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto lbw off the very next ball.

Starc caused chaos off his third straight over, sending back Mominul Haque, caught by Green, as Bangladesh slipped deeper into trouble.

Litton Das became Starc’s fifth victim, also trapped lbw, as Starc picked up his fifth scalp in just 22 balls of his spell, making it one of the fastest Test five-wicket hauls in history.

Remarkably, Starc also holds the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in Tests. He made the record his own by doing it off 15 deliveries against the West Indies last year.

The spell also moved Starc beyond South African great Dale Steyn on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers. Starc went past Steyn’s 439 wickets to reach 440, moving outright into 10th place in the all-time Test wicket-takers list and fifth-highest among fast bowlers.

The performance comes at a crucial time for Australia, who arrived in Mackay 1-0 down after Bangladesh stunned them in the series opener in Darwin.