AUS vs BAN: The opening day of the Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin was far from ideal for the hosts, Australia. First, Bangladesh's fast bowlers delivered a stellar performance, bundling out the Australian team for just 198 runs.
Then came the turn of the batsmen; they stood firm against Australia's formidable bowling attack, scoring 96 runs for the loss of just one wicket. The only piece of good news for Australia that day came from Mitchell Starc, who became the highest wicket-taking left-arm bowler in the history of Test cricket.
On Thursday, August 13 the opening day of the Test match Australia's first innings folded for just 198 runs. When the Bangladeshi team came out to bat, they faced the looming threat of a similar collapse. The team suffered an early setback at the score of 36 when ace pacer Starc had opener Shadman Islam caught by Nathan Lyon; Shadman was dismissed for 20 runs.
Became the No. 1 Bowler; Equalled Kapil's Record
With this single wicket, Starc made history. This marked the 434th wicket of the 36-year-old fast bowler's Test career. Playing in his 106th Test match, Starc achieved this milestone in 202 innings, thereby becoming the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history.
He surpassed former Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath, who had claimed 433 wickets, while former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram (414) holds the third spot. Furthermore, Starc equalled the record of legendary Indian fast bowler Kapil Dev (434), who was once the most successful bowler in the format.
Day One Belongs Entirely to Bangladesh
All in all, the first day's play did not go well for Australia. Playing Test cricket in Australia after a gap of 23 years, Bangladesh made a commanding statement. Fast bowler Hasan Mahmud was the star of the day, claiming 6 wickets and dismantling Australia's formidable batting lineup.
He became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a Test innings in Australia. Apart from him, Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed also claimed two wickets each. For Australia, only Steve Smith offered some resistance, scoring 71 runs.
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