Starc surpasses Ashwin, Vaas with 10-wicket haul vs Bangladesh

Starc surpasses Ashwin, Vaas in all-time wicket-taking charts with 10-fer against Bangladesh

Mackay, August 23

After Australia lost the first Test at Darwin by nine wickets, Starc dismantled Bangladesh with fire, pace, relentlessness and aggression that has become so associated with him over the years. Having finished his first innings with incredible figures of 6/12 in 10 overs, which included a five-wicket haul during the first seven overs of the innings, the left-armer hunted four more scalps for 39 runs in the second innings.

Now in 302 international matches, Starc has taken 771 wickets at an average of 25.07, with 28 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket hauls, including best figures of 7/58. He is just six wickets away from former New Zealand skipper Tim Southee (776 wickets in 394 matches) to enter the top-ten wicket-takers in international cricket history. Currently, Starc is the 11th-highest wicket-taker in history, having surpassed Ashwin (765 wickets in 287 matches) and Vaas (761 wickets in 439 matches).

Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan is the most successful bowler in international cricket, with 1,347 wickets in 495 matches at an average of 22.86, with 77 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls in a career lasting almost 20 years.

Starc won the 'Player of the Match' award for his ten-wicket haul and the 'Player of the Series' award for 12 wickets in four innings at an average of 12.08, topping the wicket charts in a bowler-dominated series.

After a dismal all-round performance led to Australia's first-ever loss to Bangladesh on their home soil, the bowling group, particularly Starc, responded with vengeance and trademark Aussie fire, not allowing Bangladesh to cross the 100-run mark in either innings. Australia's flaws with the bat, however, continue to persist, and the team would want them addressed ahead of the Test series in South Africa in October.

Australia won the toss and opted to field first. Starc unleashed his fury on Bangladesh batters, getting his five-wicket haul in the first seven overs and reducing Bangladesh to 12/5. Starc's fifer was a special one as four of five batters got out for a duck. He got some assistance from skipper Pat Cummins (3/25). Bangladesh was 39/9, but avoided the embarrassment of being bowled out for their lowest Test score (their lowest score being 43), as Shoriful Islam (14) emerged as their top-scorer.

With four batters touching double digits, Bangladesh was cleaned up for 64, with Starc (6/12 in 10 overs) bowling yet another legendary spell, entering the top ten Test wicket-takers by overtaking Dale Steyn.

In their first innings, Australia was reduced to 41/3, but Steve Smith (42 in 74 balls, with six fours) and Cameron Green did some repair work with a 77-run stand. However, after Starc, it was another left-arm pacer, Shoriful Islam, who did the damage. He reduced the Aussies to 148/8. Cameron Green (67 in 105 balls, with 10 fours) and Nathan Lyon (32 in 62 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played important knocks to take Australia past the 200-run mark.

Australia was skittled out for 210 at the start of day two, with Shoriful (7/48) recording the best-ever figures by a Bangladesh bowler away from home. Australia led by 146 runs.

In their second innings, Bangladesh was skittled out for just 95 runs, with the trio of Starc (4/39), Cummins (3/10) and Nathan Lyon (3/25) running rampant on Bangladesh.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (31 in 46 balls, with six fours) and Mushfiqur Rahim's (29* in 80 balls, with three fours) put on a 27-run stand for the fourth wicket was the highest point of Bangladesh's batting, as they collapsed from 51/3 to 95 all out.

— ANI