Mitchell Starc delivered a remarkable bowling spell in the opening session of the second Test versus Bangladesh at Mackay on August 22, 2026. The Australian pace bowler snatched six wickets for just 12 runs from ten overs, tearing through the Bangladesh lineup in what may become one of the series’ standout performances. Bangladesh were dismissed for 64 runs in 34 overs, the fourth‑lowest total in their Test history.
Starc opened the account with the very first ball, catching Shadman Islam at gully, and maintained pressure throughout the session. He reached a five‑wicket haul after only 22 deliveries and concluded the spell by dismissing Shoriful, caught behind. The effort pushed Starc’s career Test wicket total to 440, overtaking Dale Steyn’s 439 and placing him outright tenth on the all‑time list.
The lighthearted exchange with Healy
“Yeah, who would have thought they’d stitch this one up? I paid for dinner last night. Does that mean it’s now your turn?” Healy said on Fox Cricket.
“You’re paid the bigger bucks than I am,” Starc replied.
Reflecting on conditions and momentum
Starc acknowledged Healy‘s familiarity with the venue, where she had previously represented Australia in international cricket. He described the pitch conditions and his morning‑session approach, noting that several Queensland locals likened the surface to the Gabba.
“You said it before, you’ve played here more than the rest of us, but, yeah, I mean, we clearly weren’t at our best last week. To get first use of that wicket, a lot of the Queenslanders here have said it’s a lot like the Gabba. So, yeah, to make first use of that in the first session, you can’t be too unhappy. Six in the first session, can’t beat that. Obviously a little bit of anger. It’s worked well so far, hopefully we can keep it up,” Starc added.
Australia’s bowling attack dominated the day. Pat Cummins finished with 3 for 25, while Josh Hazlewood claimed the final wicket. Australia ended the day at 165 for eight, yet held a 101‑run lead after the first innings.
The effort followed Bangladesh’s nine‑wicket victory in the opening Test at Darwin, making the Mackay response a pivotal moment in the series.