Bangladesh vs Australia 2nd Test Full Commentary

We are back for Australia's reply. Najmul Hossain Shanto and his men disperse from the huddle and take their respective positions on the field. Travis Head has a new opening partner in Matt Renshaw. Taskin Ahmed will kickstart proceedings with the new ball. Head to face the first ball. There are three slips and a gully. Off we go...

... SECOND INNINGS ...

Tailenders save the blushes - What a difference a few days make, and Bangladesh have gone from an absolute high to a new low. The top order was dismantled with ease with the new ball and the middle order didn't put up much of a fight either. When things became 39/9, Bangladesh seemed destined to be bowled out for under 43 runs, which is their lowest-ever Test score. However, Taijul Islam and Shoriful Islam got a few boundaries away and added 25 runs for the final wicket. It's been a big statement from Australia on Day 1 already and the onus is now on their batters to turn around their fortunes from the previous game. Join us for Australia's reply, which is coming up next.

A quick chat with Josh Hazlewood - Hazlewood says it can get frustrating at times when bowling to the tail, but feels Mitchell Starc was phenomenal. He says Starc can get on a roll once he gets going and has a nice match-up against left-handers, adding that he got it right as he often does. Josh says there was a bit in the pitch early on, with the bounce and seam movement being inconsistent, but it flattened out towards the end. Adds that Bangladesh bowled well in Darwin and the conditions here are similar to what they encountered there. From a batting perspective, Hazlewood says the priority will be to see off the initial phase and take the shine off the ball.

Aussie pacers roar back - After toiling hard in the first innings in the first Test, Mitchell Starc and co. have come out with vengeance. Starc was the chief architect early in the day, and then Pat Cummins joined in on the fun, picking up the next three wickets. Josh Hazlewood bowled really well too but was unlucky. The final wicket took a bit of time to come, and it was Starc who eventually claimed it on his return, ending with a six-wicket haul.

Blown away and how - Bangladesh have been bundled out for just 64 runs inside a session and a half, handing Australia the opportunity to go on and control the game with the bat. The pitch seems to have eased out a bit as well, and the Aussies will be over the moon with that effort. Bangladesh have a big job to do with the new ball.

Welcome back. The Aussie players can be seen making their way to the middle as the umpires take their places on the field too. The duo of Tanzid Hasan and Shadman Islam walks out to open the innings for Bangladesh. Mitchell Starc has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's go...

... THIRD INNINGS ...

Bangladesh have work to do - Steve Smith and Cameron Green helped Australia overcome the setback of losing their top order with not much on the board. But then came that wobble, with the hosts losing 4 wickets for just 3 runs. They still managed to stretch their lead to 146, having started the day 101 runs ahead. Australia had the opportunity to double down on their advantage, but 146 is still a significant lead. Bangladesh will have to bat really well to erase the deficit and set Australia a target. The ball did not swing as much this morning as it did late yesterday, but the new ball will pose a stiff challenge for the Asian side. Don't go anywhere, as Bangladesh's second dig will start shortly.

Shoriful leads Bangladesh off the park - His 7/48 are the best figures by a Bangladesh quick in a Test, and it is largely down to his effort that the visitors managed to limit Australia’s lead. There will still be some disappointment with the morning’s effort, though, as Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud could not quite back up Shoriful and allowed Australia to add 45 runs to their overnight score in 12.3 overs.

It will be spin from both ends. Here's Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Taskin Ahmed comes into the attack, replacing Shoriful Islam.

Over and out - The spoils are shared in the series, and now Pat Cummins and Najmul Hossain Shanto pose with the trophy for the photographs. Another two-day Test in Australia, and that’s now three in under a year, with a couple of them coming during the Ashes. Next up, the Aussies set out on an African safari. First up will be a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe in September, before they head to South Africa for ODIs and Tests. Bangladesh’s next assignment is in November, when they travel to South Africa for an all-format tour. For now, you can switch tabs and follow the action from the second Test between Sri Lanka and India. Cheers!

The captain of Australia - Pat Cummins says a lot of things went right for them this week, after plenty went wrong in Darwin. He is pleased with the way the group responded and feels it was a good couple of days for the team, with everyone looking sharp. Cummins feels the first hour or two can often set up a Test, and his side managed to do exactly that in this game. He says Cameron Green has been putting together some really solid performances in Test cricket and believes they know he is good enough to keep producing at this level. With plenty of cricket coming up, he hopes Green can continue in the same vein. Reflecting on the experience of playing in Darwin and Mackay, he says it has been great, with both venues offering a slightly different feel from the stadiums Australia usually play at during the middle of summer. He praises the support from the crowds and feels the conditions in both Tests were excellent and worthy of Test cricket. On his involvement in the upcoming white-ball matches, he says the plan is to work out his availability over the next couple of days. He expects to play some white-ball cricket before returning to the red-ball format.

The skipper of Bangladesh - Najmul Hossain Shanto says that they all know how good Australia are, and they showed their character. Admits that they as a team didn't play their best game. On the playing conditions, he reckons that these conditions were different and there was a bit of extra bounce, but these learnings will help them going forward. He says that the wicket was difficult to bat on and their bowlers did a good job as well. Ends by saying that they need to be consistent and they should get more chances, and not like now, as they came here after 23 years and played two Test matches.

Mitchell Starc takes home all the accolades - The left-arm quick walks away with both the PLAYER OF THE MATCH and PLAYER OF THE SERIES awards. Starc claimed 12 wickets in the series, with 10 of them coming in this game alone, including a six-wicket haul in the first innings. He admits they knew they were not at their best in Darwin and gives Bangladesh credit for playing really well in that game. Starc feels Australia produced the kind of performance they expected from themselves in Mackay, particularly with the ball on a wicket that offered assistance.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

What transpired on Day 2? Shoriful Islam finished with 7/48, the best figures by a Bangladesh fast bowler in a Test innings, but Australia still managed to take a 146-run lead and even that proved too much for Bangladesh to handle. Patience was the basis of their success in Darwin, but it was in short supply here. The ‘Big Four’, as they are called - Cummins, Lyon, Starc and Hazlewood - kept the tourists under pressure throughout. The partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto was as good as it got for Bangladesh in the second innings, but once Shanto fell, Australia chipped away at the wickets to complete the job.

Recap of Day 1 - It was a thrill-a-minute kind of opening day, with 18 wickets falling, the third-most wickets to fall on Day 1 of a Test in Australia since 1975. After the toss fell Australia’s way, the tone was set by Mitchell Starc, who, as he has done in the past, struck with the first ball of the Test. He completed his five-wicket haul in just 22 balls, leaving Bangladesh in all sorts at 12/5. There was no way back from there as the visitors were skittled for just 64. Bangladesh found their own answer with the ball through Shoriful Islam. Australia’s top three could not contribute much, but Steve Smith and Cameron Green were going along nicely and were in a position to make it really difficult for Bangladesh to find their way back into the game. But Shoriful’s burst sparked a dramatic collapse, and suddenly Australia were wobbling.

Over to Nathan Lyon - Lyon says that it has been a good series. He adds that their preparation has been good and their batters did a good job on this track. On his matchup with Shanto, he says that he kept calm and bowled according to the plan. He reckons that the pitch was great and the groundsmen did a great job. He ends by saying that it was a good series overall.

A word from Josh Hazlewood - Josh feels the wicket was pretty good and does not necessarily think it was a two-day surface. He says it played better than that, although it quickened up as the game went on. Mentions that there was some seam movement on Day 1, which he expected, but once the shine went off the ball, there was not a great deal happening. Reflecting on Darwin, Hazlewood admits it was a tough week but says he will freshen up over the next few days before making a call on his white-ball availability. On the atmosphere in Mackay, he shares that he enjoyed how close the crowd felt on a ground like this. Having grown up in a small town himself, he says he can relate to that connection with the local community.

Cameron Green shares his thoughts - Green says that it has been a good series. Adds that they failed to win the first one but did well in this game. He reckons that they got off to a great start and carried on with the momentum. On his preparation, he says that he focuses on his bowling but spends most of his time on his batting with the World Cup next year. He ends by saying that they have a lot of fun together and everyone did a great job.

Let's hear from the Aussies...

Normal service resumed - If anyone left their tea or coffee unfinished, it must still be warm. That is how little time it took Australia to return after the break and complete the job. The Aussies don't usually get outplayed at home the way they were in Darwin, but that defeat clearly stung them into action. They produced the kind of response many expected from them coming into this game and ended the series on level terms. After the high of a breakthrough win, Bangladesh have come crashing back down, with this being the first instance in their Test history that they have been bowled out for under 100 in both innings of a Test.

Shoriful Islam is the last man in.

Welcome back for what should be the final session of the series. Pat Cummins leads his men out onto the park. Some repair work is needed for the ball as Nitin Menon trims the loose seam. Nathan Lyon has been handed the ball. Taskin Ahmed is on strike. A slip and a silly point in place. Here we go...

... DAY 2, SESSION 3 ...

Australia closing in - It was a tough interrogation early on for Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto, with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon bowling in tandem and giving them nothing away. Shanto eventually perished trying to release the pressure, and from there, Rahim kept losing partners at the other end as Australia tightened their grip. Litton Das endured a third duck in the series, ending the series without scoring a run, while Starc completed a 10-wicket haul for the match. Rahim perhaps has not shepherded the tail as much as he should, which is a little surprising given his experience. How long can Bangladesh hang on before Australia complete the job? We will find out when the third session resumes at 5 am GMT.

4.44 am GMT - TEA, DAY 2 - Players head off for the Tea break with the finish line in sight for Australia. 5 wickets fell in the second session, and that has left Mushfiqur Rahim and the tail to delay the inevitable for as long as they can.

We will have one more over before the Tea break. If a wicket falls, we could have the session extended.