Starc rips through Bangladesh with five wickets in 22 balls

Bangladesh 35 for 6 (Mehidy 11*, Mahmud 8*, Starc 5-11) vs Australia

Mitchell Starc's searing burst of five wickets in the first 45 minutes of the Mackay Test left Bangladesh in tatters. At lunch, the visitors were teetering at 35 for 6, having slipped to 12 for 5 at one stage, in the face of Starc's pace and late swing.

It was the second time in as many years that Test cricket's most successful left-arm bowler went through a top-order in no time. Starc took 22 balls to complete his five-for against Bangladesh, having already taken one in 15 balls against West Indies last year.

After Australia captain Pat Cummins decided to bowl first, Starc was on target first ball. He squared up Shadman Islam with a delivery that hooped into the left-hander, before leaving him slightly. Shadman's outside edge carried to Cameron Green at gully who dived to his left to complete the catch.

It was the fourth time Starc had taken a wicket off the first ball of a Test match, having previously dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne, Rory Burns, Yashasvi Jaiswal. It was also the ninth time Starc had a wicket in the first over of a Test. Shadman also joined Hannan Sarkar to become the second Bangladesh opener to get out first ball of a Test match. It happened three times to Sarker, all against West Indies' Pedro Collins.

Starc claimed his second when Tanzid Hasan guided the first ball of his second over to Beau Webster at second slip. It was a strange shot for a batter who scored a century in his previous Test, but Tanzid has now got two ducks in a row after his breakthrough knock in Darwin.

Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangladesh captain, was given out lbw next ball. Shanto immediately took the review but the decision stayed with Starc due to the umpire's call, which left Shanto fuming. Mushfiqur Rahim left the hat-trick ball, but the next wicket was around the corner.

Mominul Haque, who struck two fours at the other end, played a guiding shot towards the slips, without any footwork. The ball just about carried to Green at gully, as another Bangladesh top-order batter used no footwork but threw his bat at a wide delivery.

Starc completed his five-for in the next over when he had Litton Das lbw for a duck. Webster had dropped a sitter the previous delivery when Litton fended at a short ball and was the most relieved man on the field when on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger, before TV umpire Richard Illingworth confirmed with three reds. Bangladesh's score of 12 for 5 is their lowest score losing half their side in a Test innings.

Mushfiqur and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's last recognized batting pair, held Australia at bay for the next ten overs. The resistance featured mostly defensive prods and close calls outside off stump or off the inside edge. It ended when Cummins got one to nip back through Mushfiqur's bat and pad.

Mehidy and Hasan Mahmud survived the remaining 7.4 overs, showing the value of leaving the ball.

Mohammad Isam is Cricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84