Shoriful Islam delivered a career-defining spell of 6 for 35 to keep Bangladesh firmly in contention in the second Test against Australia at Mackay, with the visitors trailing by 101 runs and Australia finishing Day 1 on 165 for 8. Despite being bowled out for a meagre 64 in their first innings, Bangladesh's pace attack struck back hard to leave the hosts vulnerable heading into Day 2.

Shoriful's Six-Wicket Haul Rewrites the Day

Shoriful Islam was the undisputed standout on what was otherwise a punishing day for the tourists. The 25-year-old left-arm pacer claimed six wickets for 35 runs, a spell that included a five-for achieved at the second-fastest rate by any Bangladesh bowler in Test cricket. He also top-scored for his side with the bat, contributing 14 runs in the first innings collapse.

'Alhamdulillah, everyone feels good getting their first five-for. But I'll feel best if we win the match, because we lost that previous one. I'm not overthinking or excessively celebrating just because I got five wickets. If we win the match, I'll be very happy,' Shoriful said after the day's play.

How Australia Were Reduced to 165 for 8

Bangladesh had Australia reeling at 41 for 3 before Steve Smith and Cameron Green steadied the innings with a 77-run partnership off 112 balls. Shoriful broke the stand by trapping Smith LBW, and Bangladesh then took four more wickets in just 14 balls to reduce the hosts to 148 for 8. Green and Nathan Lyon added an unbeaten 17-run partnership to take Australia to the close at 165 for 8, giving the hosts a 101-run lead with two wickets in hand.

Starc's Demolition Job on Bangladesh

Earlier in the day, Mitchell Starc had produced a devastating opening burst, claiming five wickets in just 22 deliveries and finishing with figures of 6 for 12. Pat Cummins took three wickets and Josh Hazlewood one, as Bangladesh were dismissed in only 34 overs. The conditions at Mackay — particularly the wind direction — aided swing for an extended spell of 15 to 20 overs, a factor Shoriful acknowledged both sides had to contend with.

'We were bowling from that end where the wind was against us, which helped the ball swing a bit more. With the new ball, it was consistently swinging for quite a long time, around 15 to 20 overs. They capitalised on that advantage. In the next innings, our batters will try to cover that up,' he said.

Bangladesh's Dressing Room Message: Game Far From Over

Shoriful said the mood inside the Bangladesh camp remained defiant despite the first-innings setback. 'The message in the dressing room was that the game is far from over and our turn to bowl is coming up. We are still well in the game. InshaAllah, we will try to make sure the entire second innings belongs to us,' he said.

This second Test at Mackay carries added weight: Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0 following a historic win in Darwin, and a strong second-innings bowling performance could put them on the cusp of a landmark series victory on Australian soil. The surface has offered consistent assistance to fast bowlers throughout Day 1, suggesting the contest is far from settled.