Mitchell Starc is spearheading Australia’s response after the Darwin Test defeat as his fiery five-wicket haul has Bangladesh reeling on 35-6 at Lunch on Day 1 of the second Test after being put into bat first at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Saturday.

Starc completed his 19th five-wicket haul in Tests in just 22 balls, dismissing Shadman Islam (0), Tanzid Hasan Tamim (0), Najmul Hossain Shanto (0), Mominul Haque (nine) and Litton Das (0) to have Bangladesh five down for just 12 runs.

Skipper Pat Cummins then joined in on the action, going through the defences of Mushfiqur Rahim (five) as the tourists were in all sorts of trouble.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud then held firm, to ensure Bangladesh avoided getting rolled over in the morning.

Miraz is batting on 11 while Hasan Mahmud is not out on eight as Bangladesh have avoided the lowest ever team total in Tests – 26 from New Zealand against England in 1955.

The Tigers needed another eight runs to equal their lowest team total in Tests, which is 43 against the West Indies in 2018.

The surface in Mackay delivered on its promise of extra bounce and pace and Starc cashed in on it from the start, getting Shadman caught at gully on the very first ball of the Test – the fourth time Starc has done so in his career.

He then struck twice in successive deliveries in his next over, getting Tanzid caught at slip and wrapping Shanto on the pads to trap him LBW.

Shanto was a tad unlucky as ball tracking showed the ball would only clip the leg stump, but as the on-field umpire had given it out, the decision stayed.

Mushfiq fended off the hat-trick ball, but Starc was in amongst the wicket in his next over, this time getting Mominul caught at gully.

Litton was dropped by Beau Webster at slip off Starc, but couldn’t make anything of his second life, getting trapped LBW. The umpire had initially given it not out, but Australia successfully reviewed it as Starc completed his fifer.

Litton is yet to score a run in Australia, getting out for a duck in his only innings in the Darwin Test as well.

Mushfiq and Miraz then faced 54 balls for their nine-run stand for the sixth wicket, trying to see off the session, but Cummins broke the partnership, by getting the ball slip between Mushfiq’s bat and pad and hit the middle stump.

Miraz, Bangladesh’s last recognised batter, and Hasan then survived 45 balls till Lunch.