Stumps Australia 165 for 8 (Green 51*, Smith 42, Shoriful 6-35) lead Bangladesh 64 (Starc 6-12, Cummins 3-25) by 101 runs
Mitchell Starc's 6 for 12 was contested by Shoriful Islam's 6 for 34 on a dramatic 18-wicket opening day of the Mackay Test. Australia went to stumps at a rickety 165 for 8 for a lead of 101. Bangladesh had earlier done themselves no favours with the bat as they were rolled over for just 64, their fourth-lowest total in Test cricket.
It was an admirable fightback from Bangladesh after being blown away in the morning and early afternoon. Starc needed just 22 balls to complete his five-wicket haul as Bangladesh crashed to 12 for 5 after being asked to bat. Four of their top-six batters fell for ducks.
Australia lost three early wickets of their own before recovery through a 77-run fourth-wicket stand between Steven Smith and Cameron Green, but Shoriful, returning to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury, sparked a batting collapse: Australia lost five wickets for 30 runs in 7.3 overs.
It would have been fine for Bangladesh to be completely demoralised after their effort with the bat, but Taskin Ahmed had the returning Matt Renshaw caught at slip for eight in the third over itself.
Shoriful then had Travis Head chopping on - for the third time in three innings in the series - with his second ball of the match. Later in the same over, Shoriful bowled Marnus Labuschagne off his thigh pad for four. Australia again needed Smith to keep them afloat, and he picked up the scoring rate after tea.
Smith started the last session with two fours off Hasan Mahmud, though the second one was a streaky one off the bottom edge. Smith repeated the dose to Shoriful, with a pull and an on drive, before Green got into the act with two fours off Mahmud in the next over. Smith was right on top of Bangladesh's bowling when he struck Taijul Islam for two fours in consecutive overs, but Shoriful cut his innings short with an excellent delivery. The left-arm quick got the ball to nip back off the seam with Smith, batting on 42, already shuffling in front of the stumps. Bangladesh had their way via umpire's call after the review showed that the ball shaving Smith's off stump.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto then brought on Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who immediately sent Alex Carey back. It was an uncharacteristic shot from Carey, who went down the pitch and tried to jab the ball to the leg side but only managed to skew it in the air for Mahmud to take the catch at mid-on.
Shoriful then had his second double-wicket over when he dismissed both Beau Webster and Pat Cummins for ducks. He trapped Webster lbw with another inswinger, and followed that with a snorter at Cummins was gloved to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
Starc became Shoriful's sixth wicket when he bowled the fellow left-arm quick with one that again moved off the seam.
Green, who made a century in the Darwin Test, kept Australia on track with his unbeaten half-century at the other end. He stroked the ball around nicely for his eight boundaries, showing the merit of the Mackay wicket, which has otherwise been a nightmare for batters.
Earlier, Starc was all over the Bangladesh batters with his pace and late swing with the new ball, and his six-wicket haul him past Dale Steyn's 439 wickets. Starc finished with 6 for 12, returning after a bit of resistance from the lower order to complete the rout after lunch.
Bangladesh's No. 11 Shoriful made 14, the top score of the innings, while the last five batters contributed 47.
Starc did full justice to < Cummins' decision at the toss to bowl first. He had Shadman Islam caught at gully off the first ball of the match, with Green taking a good low catch. This was the fourth time that Starc had opened a Test match with a wicket, having done the same against Dimuth Karunaratne, Rory Burns and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the past. Shadman, meanwhile, joined Hannan Sarkar (three times) as the second Bangladesh opener to get out off first ball of a Test match.
Tanzid Hasan fell for a duck, too, when he edged Starc to Webster at second slip. It was a nothing shot with no footwork, especially surprising from a batter who had scored a century in his previous Test. Tanzid has now got two ducks in a row after his breakthrough knock in Darwin.
Shanto was given out lbw next ball but immediately took the review. Umpire's call, however, worked in Starc's favour. Mushfiqur Rahim prevented the hat-trick.
Starc then removed Mominul Haque, who played a poor shot without any movement of the feet, simply guiding an awaygoing delivery to Green at gully.
Starc's five-for was completed when he trapped Litton lbw for a duck.
Webster had dropped Litton the previous ball, in what was the simplest of chances in the slips, but Starc was relentless with his full deliveries. Bangladesh's 12 for 5 was their lowest total at five down in a Test innings.
Mushfiqur lasted 41 balls before a Cummins delivery burst through his bat and pad, but Mehidy and Mahmud managed to prevent any further damage in the first session, which ended with Bangladesh at 35 for 6.
Cummins got Mehidy driving away from his body shortly after lunch, with Webster taking a diving catch to his right. At No. 7, Mehidy became the first batter in this innings to reach double digits.
Josh Hazlewood opened his account when Mahmud flicked him to leg gully after surviving 35 balls, before Cummins removed Taskin, who skied the ball to Renshaw at square leg. Three fours towards the end from Shoriful and Taijul took Bangladesh past 43, their lowest total in Tests. Starc finished things up with Shoriful's wicket, caught behind.