Starc's Fuller Lengths Wreak Havoc on Bangladesh in Mackay
Australia's pace spearhead adapts his lines to bowl out Bangladesh for 64 and strike back after Darwin.
Bangladesh arrived in Mackay with confidence after their historic win in Darwin, but Phil Simmons had warned his side to expect a fierce response. That response came in the form of Mitchell Starc, who delivered a spell of lethal swing bowling that dismantled the visitors' top order.
Starc adjusted his approach cleverly, pitching the ball fuller to Bangladesh's left-handers, allowing it to swing late and catch the edge. Shadman Islam nicked to gully, while Tanzid Hasan, the previous match's centurion, fell to a two-ball duck after being beaten by a near-yorker. The left-arm quick then ran through the rest of the lineup, claiming five wickets in just 22 balls and finishing with six as Bangladesh folded for a paltry 64.
The Mackay pitch offered movement early on, but it was Starc's sharper lines and lengths that made the difference. By going straighter and slightly shorter against the right-handers, he made run-scoring nearly impossible. It was a masterclass in adaptation, proving Australia had learned their lesson from Darwin.