Key events
9th over: Australia 45-3 (Smith 2, Green 0) Taskin Ahmed carrying on, in a busy over. A couple of no-balls, three in fact, either side of a huge lbw appeal, while Smith starts chirping the fielders about whether they should review, and the umpire comes down and gives Smith a telling off. Not your place to speak to the fielding team about their reviews, seems to be the message, one Test match too late.
8th over: Australia 41-3 (Smith 1, Green 0) So it’s already Cameron Green to the middle to join Steve Smith.
WICKET! Labuschagne b Shoriful 4, Australia 41-3
What is going on here? Another deflection, another bowled! Shoriful has flipped the momentum of this match around, at least for a moment. Labuschagne just stops and stares. This is not good bowling, and not good batting. Leg-stump line, but Labuschagne has wandered so far across his stumps that he might take 20 years to get back to Ithaca. He’s not in line with the ball that arrows in at his thigh pad, then it deflects off the under edge of that pad and goes down into the ground, then into leg stump. It wouldn’t have done anything dangerous if he hadn’t moved so far across. No control, no confidence, and Labuschagne opens both arms and gestures at his stumps as though they’ve created the problem rather than him. The look of a Test career slipping between those outstretched hands.
WICKET! Head b Shoriful 22, Australia 40-2
The other opener goes! Shoriful Islam’s second ball. The left-armer thumps in a low full toss on the pads first ball, then gets the next to jag back in, from the seam into the thigh pad, and Head trying to chop that ball away with a slightly angled bat behind square can only drag it onto his stumps for the third time this series.
7th over: Australia 40-1 (Head 22, Labuschagne 4) Boundaries keep coming, this time it’s Head from Taskin, worked away off the pads through square. Then a huge appeal from a non-event, Taskin getting the ball to go past the outside edge, but we can’t hear anything through the stump mic. Maybe a slight sound as bat brushes pad, but nobody else can hear it bar the bowler and a couple of fielders. Not out, no review.
6th over: Australia 35-1 (Head 17, Labuschagne 4) Hasan again, and Head again throws the bat at width and sends it flying over the catching cordon.
5th over: Australia 30-1 (Head 13, Labuschagne 4) Taskin now, the early wicket-taker, with Labuschagne in his sights. Plenty of pressure on Australia’s No3, even if he could not possibly have arranged an easier match situation. Labuschagne reaches for a ball outside off stump, edges it, but very soft hands take it down and through the cordon for four rather than screaming into the cordon at catching height.
4th over: Australia 26-1 (Head 13, Labuschagne 0) Thanks JP, hello all. I have to say, I was not expecting to be logging on for the second innings of the Test match halfway through Day 1. But these things happen from time to time. Hasan continues, Travis Head slashes a boundary over the cordon when given width.
WICKET! Renshaw c Tanzid b Taskin 8 (Australia 22-1)
Jonathan Howcroft
This outfield is getting very quick. Head adds four to his total with a nondescript thick edge, then Renshaw leans into the swing into his pads to work a couple of twos behind square. Taskin adjusts and moves from over to around the wicket to the two left-handers and immediately gets his reward! Renshaw again tries to work with the angle but closes his bat face too soon and sends a leading edge to second slip! Another Australian opener comes and goes.
And with that I shall hand you over to Geoff Lemon.
3rd over: Australia 22-1 (Head 9)
2nd over: Australia 13-0 (Head 4, Renshaw 4) Mahmud shares the new ball and Head nudges his way off strike first ball. What can Renshaw do? He looks compact, playing with a straight bat, keeping his blade close to his pad, and he nudges with soft hands along the ground through the gully to get off the mark with a boundary. A confident, uncomplicated start from Australia’s latest opener.
Returning to the exploits of the greatest No 11s in Test history, John Goldstein was in Nottingham for Ashton Agar’s memorable 98 in 2013. “I was at Trent Bridge for the 5th day. The atomic levels of macramé strands that needed untangling in Broad’s laces just before lunch was hilarious. Unlike the Steve Finn dropped catch. I nearly had a sense of humour failure.”
1st over: Australia 8-0 (Head 3, Renshaw 0) Bangladesh’s innings started with a wicket, Australia’s with four byes down the legside! Those extras were the product of some swing from Taskin Ahmed, bowling his right-arm fast-medium from over the wicket. He readjusts well and rips one through Head a couple of deliveries later, getting some bounce off a length that threatens the under-edge of a pull shot. Even better next ball – fuller length, beating the outside edge of a prod with the opener trapped to the crease. Head punches his way through midwicket to get off the mark, then benefits from a misfield at leg gully to rotate strike. What can Renshaw do? Ooooh, play and miss outside off from a jaffa! An eventful opening over!
The two teams are back out in the middle. Travis Head will take strike. Matt Renshaw will enjoy proceedings from the non-striker’s end.
Right, over to Australia’s batters, and Matt Renshaw in particular. With his strong frame, Don Mattingly sideburns, and no-longer-for-charity dirty mo, the Queenslander looks like the composite Australian male 30 year old.
“When was the last time the number XI scored as many as the top 5 combined?” asks Rowan Sweeney. Fortunately for me an answer to that one came quickly (I’m assuming the answer, but I don’t have the time to confirm) because it was that same innings featuring England’s Saqib Mahmood in 2022. And it encompases the top six – not just top five.
England’s top order that day: Alex Lees 31, Zak Crawley 7, Joe Root 0, Dan Lawrence 8, Ben Stokes 2, Jonny Bairstow 0 … Saqib Mahmood 49.
Adding to the historical interest of that innings, Mahmood’s runs came in a 90-run last wicket partnership with Jack Leach (41*) that lasted 36.2 overs.
Bangladesh 64 all out
That is what coming back down to earth looks like. More bounce, more movement in the air and off the seam, and better catching from Australia, and Bangladesh drop from the high of Darwin to the dismay of Mackay.
Starc did most of the damage, Cummins chipped in, Hazlewood deserved more than his solitary dismissal. Those ageing pacemen can now look forward to a long rest in the Queensland sunshine.
WICKET! Shoriful c Carey b Starc 14 (Bangladesh 64)
Starc is recalled to finish the job – and after a few swings and misses he finds the edge of Shoriful’s bat. Bangladesh all out for 64 in exactly 34 overs. Starc ends with 6/12 from 10 overs. Shoriful top scores with 14 from No 11.
33rd over: Bangladesh 63-9 (Taijul 10, Shoriful 14) Bosh! Taijul waits on the crease and larrups an overpitched Cummins delivery Lara-like to the cover fence. Shoriful continues to swing hard, sending a length delivery off the toe of his bat miles into the air over mid-off. It plugs safely as he comes back for a second. This partnership is unreal! 24 from 29, and by some margin the healthiest of the innings for the tourists.
32nd over: Bangladesh 56-9 (Taijul 5, Shoriful 12) There are just 12 previous instances of the No 11 top-scoring in an innings, most recently England’s Saqib Mahmood in 2022. The highest of those knocks is Ashton Agar’s memorable 98 at Trent Bridge in 2013. The lowest, to date, is Nathan Lyon’s 14 in Cape Town in 2011.
31st over: Bangladesh 55-9 (Taijul 4, Shoriful 12) The swings and misses continue as Cummins remains short of a length for three deliveries. The change-up yorker arrives, which Shoriful crunches down the ground for an out-of-the blue boundary! Cummins, as expected, responds by digging in a bouncer, chasing the tailender down the legside and collecting him on the forearm. Unperturbed, the No 11 creams a second boundary in the over, this time through backward point, to become his side’s top scorer!
30th over: Bangladesh 47-9 (Taijul 4, Shoriful 4) Bangladesh’s innings looks done after just one delivery of Hazlewood’s tenth over but Taijul’s outside edge only reaches Smith’s safe hands on the half-volley. The remainder of the over is a series of swings and misses – until a swing and a strike – as the the steam continues to pour out of Hazlewood’s ears. That strike sent the ball to the cover fence, and Bangladesh are now out of record breaking low score territory.
29th over: Bangladesh 43-9 (Taijul 0, Shoriful 4) Shot! Shoriful, the No 11 who didn’t feature in Darwin, rocks back and square cuts Cummins for four to inch Bangladesh to parity with their lowest ever total. Cummins responds by slipping in a bouncer that scuds into the tailender’s front shoulder.
A TV graphic illustrates the extra bounce today is, on average, 12cm more than Darwin.
WICKET! Taskin c Renshaw b Cummins 1 (Bangladesh 39-9)
Cummins profits from Hazlewood’s misfortune. The skipper drops short, Taskin goes for the same slap, gets a similar outside edge, but this time it carries to midwicket where Renshaw takes a very handy catch with the ball swirling in the breeze above him.
28th over: Bangladesh 39-8 (Taijul 0, Taskin 1) That was chaos! Hazlewood dropped short, Taskin attempted a pull shot, only to send the ball miles into the air almost vertically. Hazlewood jogs in for the return catch but on his way to settling underneath with only eyes for the ball he collides with the batter as he sets off for a run. Taskin did nothing wrong, as the umpires explain to the bowler, but Hazlewood is fuming.
27th over: Bangladesh 38-8 (Taijul 0, Taskin 0) Taijul survives, unconvincingly. Australia are enjoying the extra bounce on offer in Mackay, making sure to remind the Bangladesh batters they have a bouncer up their sleeves should they choose to utilise it.
26th over: Bangladesh 38-8 (Taijul 0, Taskin 0) 43 is currently Bangladesh’s lowest Test total. That was in the West Indies in 2018.
WICKET! Mahmud c Lyon b Hazlewood 10 (Bangladesh 38-8)
Yes, is the answer to whether Australia can run through the Bangladesh tail. After offering little from over the wicket Hazlewood shifts around, Cummins brings in a leg gully, and Mahmud immediately obliges.
25th over: Bangladesh 36-7 (Mahmud 8, Taijul 0) Webster has gone some way to redeeming himself following that earlier howler. Can Australia knock over the tail quicksmart?
WICKET! Mehidy c Webster b Cummins 11 (Bangladesh 36-7)
Mehidy gives his wicket away, driving a delivery on the up, on a length, a long way from his body, and Webster takes a very smart catch diving to his right at third slip. Cummins has just his third wicket of the series.
24th over: Bangladesh 36-6 (Mehidy 11, Mahmud 8) Hazlewood resumes after lunch. Mahmud is stout in defence. A no ball is the only addition to the score.
“Every time Cameron Green bowls it looks like someone has told him to bang it in, rather than find a line and length. But of course that’s immaterial now that he is definitely Australia’s star batter,” emails Eamonn Maloney.
I am increasingly confused by Green’s role in this side, or perhaps that should be Webster’s presence in it? Born and raised in England I am well acquainted with the knots selectors can tie themselves in to find a balanced XI. The history of English cricket has long been tied to the fortunes of one talismanic individual, be it Botham, Flintoff, or Stokes.
Australia, by contrast, just go out and pick their best six batters, wicket keeper, three pace bowlers and spinner. There’d be some tinkering around the margins, especially overseas, but everyone knew where they stood.
Does Webster fit in either camp? Selectors have clearly decided Green fits in the top six, as does Alex Carey, but do those calls come at the expense of a more opaque overall strategy? Did Australia benefit this morning by having six bowling options, and using Webster more than Green or Lyon?
That session was all about one spell from Mitchell Starc. He struck with the opening ball of the match and by the seventh over had all five wickets as Bangladesh crumbled to 12-5. A few deliveries swung early on, and there has been consistent movement off the seam, but it wasn’t great batting by the visiting top order, especially Shadman and Tanzid, playing a long way from their bodies.
The main difference for the tourists is the extra bounce on offer in Mackay compared to Darwin. Unsettled by the lift off a length they’ve been unable to get on top of any Australian bowler and the early burst of wickets has meant the home side have been able to ease through their mostly mediocre spells without having to chase wickets.
Australia’s catching has been excellent – one horrendous drop from Webster aside – and Cummins can be praised for his call at the toss and setting relentlessly attacking fields. This is the fightback he demanded.
Lunch: Bangladesh 35-6
23rd over: Bangladesh 35-6 (Mehidy 11, Mahmud 8) Mehidy loses concentration a fraction, wafting outside off to a Starc delivery angling away. But it’s another over lacking purpose, too short and not revealing an obvious plan of attack.
Time for lunch.
22nd over: Bangladesh 35-6 (Mehidy 11, Mahmud 8) Australia’s oddly passive spell continues with Hazlewood wasting most of an over with some harmless loopy bouncers – then ripping an absolute beauty away from Mahmud’s outside edge and a whisker from the longer spigot of the off bail.
21st over: Bangladesh 35-6 (Mehidy 11, Mahmud 8) Mahmud with a contender for shot of the day, presenting a straight blade to a length delivery and easing the ball down the ground for four, sending Starc’s figures careening from 5/6 to the profligate 5/10.
Since the eighth over Bangladesh have dug in and Australia have fashioned very little. Perhaps it’s time to see how Nathan Lyon’s spin fares on this track?
20th over: Bangladesh 29-6 (Mehidy 10, Mahmud 3) It’s a double change with Hazlewood replacing Cummins. He returns to find Bangladesh propping onto the front foot and applying themselves to defence-first rebuild cricket.
19th over: Bangladesh 27-6 (Mehidy 9, Mahmud 2) Mitchell Starc gets his second spell of the session as Cummins hunts for a quick kill. His star man almost repays his skipper immediately, beating Mehidy for pace on off stump. Bangladesh’s last recognised batter regroups, presenting the full face of his straight bat to the remainder of the over.
18th over: Bangladesh 27-6 (Mehidy 9, Mahmud 2) Hasan Mahmud averages just 12.6 from his 16 Tests and he looks ill at ease as Cummins hurls down a maiden. Australia are into the Bangladesh tail well before lunch on the opening day of this match.
17th over: Bangladesh 27-6 (Mehidy 9, Mahmud 2) Webster has not looked consistently threatening in his three over spell, one that surely comes to end when he’s cracked through mid-off by Mehidy with the shot of the day so far. I am increasingly puzzled by his role in this team if Cameron Green is fit.
16th over: Bangladesh 23-6 (Mehidy 5, Mahmud 2) Bangladesh have, perhaps unsurprisingly, failed to adapt to the extra bounce of the Mackay track. The consequence has been jousting at length deliveries from the crease and failing to know decisively when to come forward or when to play back. The bowling has been fine, but hardly 23-6 devastating.
WICKET! Mushfiqur b Cummins 5 (Bangladesh 21-6)
Cummins hasn’t landed that many deliveries on a testing line and length, but the ones he has have really threatened. He finds that optimal delivery to Mushfiqur pitching on a good length on off-stump, jagging the ball off the seam to clip the top of middle. No 10-for for Starc.
15th over: Bangladesh 21-5 (Mushfiqur 5, Mehidy 5) After that hectic start things have settled down in Mackay. Bangladesh are even starting to throw their hands at a couple of Webster deliveries but have yet to find the right timing on this surface.
14th over: Bangladesh 20-5 (Mushfiqur 5, Mehidy 5) Every so often Australia have found lift from a length. Cummins is the latest, collecting Mushfiqur’s gloves and midriff. He then gets a little preoccupied with the short stuff, which is mostly of a looping tennis ball bounce.
13th over: Bangladesh 20-5 (Mushfiqur 5, Mehidy 5) Mitchell Starc gets a rest after a spell of six overs five for five. Beau Webster comes on, but it only takes him three deliveries to create a chance. A routine line and length delivery goes through to Carey without much fanfare but the bowler is convinced there’s an edge, unfurling an understated celbrappeal. Cummins is reluctantly convinced to review but DRS gives no indication of an outside edge. Mushfiqur capitalises, clipping a leg-stump half-volley for three.
This partnership is starting to bed in.
12th over: Bangladesh 17-5 (Mushfiqur 2, Mehidy 5) Cummins resumes after drinks by angling a ball just short of a good length into Mehidy then watching it jag hard off the seam and past the outside edge. He then finds a fuller length and almost gets his fingertips to a return catch but can’t stretch far enough to his right in his follow through. whenever Bangladesh attempt to play anything other than a dead bat from the crease they look at the immediate risk of losing their wicket.
11th over: Bangladesh 15-5 (Mushfiqur 2, Mehidy 3) Starc extends his spell into a rare sixth over, and with figures of 5/5 why wouldn’t he? His line and length is less threatening to the right-handers though after cleaning up the surfeit of top-order lefties, slanting the ball too wide of off stump from over the wicket.
Drinks.
10th over: Bangladesh 15-5 (Mushfiqur 2, Mehidy 3) Cummins brings himself on, sensing an opportunity to pad his stats, and immediately hits a good line and length. Mehidy holds his nerve, defends stoutly from the crease, and works a handy couple through mid-off for his diligence.
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