Australia Recall Renshaw And Name XI For Mackay Test Decider

Matthew Renshaw will open the batting with Travis Head when Australia meet Bangladesh in the second Test at Mackay on Saturday, ending the Queenslander's three-year absence from the format. Australia's playing XI for the second Test leaves the bowling attack unchanged. Scott Boland and Josh Inglis were left out of the XI.

Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0. They won the first Test by nine wickets in Darwin, their first Test victory in Australia. A draw at the Great Barrier Reef Arena gives them a series win here for the first time. Australia have to win.

The match is the first Test staged at Mackay. The ground becomes the 12th in Australia to host one. Australia named this side for it:

Australia's XI and the selection calls

• Matthew Renshaw
• Travis Head
• Marnus Labuschagne
• Steve Smith
• Cameron Green
• Alex Carey (wk)
• Beau Webster
• Pat Cummins (c)
• Mitchell Starc
• Nathan Lyon
• Josh Hazlewood

Speculation before the announcement had Australia adding a fourth seamer on a drop-in surface with no Test record. That would have cost Nathan Lyon his place. The selectors kept him. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood keep their places too. That attack took 20 wickets in Darwin.

The changes landed in the batting. Australia were bowled out for 198 and 284 in Darwin while Bangladesh made 426, and Jake Weatherald paid for it. He made 23 and 0, and averages 20.36 from 12 Test innings, according to Cricket Australia. Coach Andrew McDonald spelled out the reasoning. He said Weatherald "dragged one on and drove at one in the first innings and was dismissed", and questioned whether the opener's rebuilt technique would hold up under pressure at this level.

Renshaw is 30, and he last played a Test against India in early 2023. Cricket Australia credits him with three centuries in the most recent Sheffield Shield season at an average near 50, and with two first-class hundreds at Harrup Park itself.

Pat Cummins kept the brief simple. "We just want his best," the captain said, in comments reported by the ICC. "I think he does that. That's the hope with Renners, is to keep bringing your best version every day."

Bangladesh's options after Darwin

Bangladesh have two calls to make. Shoriful Islam is fit again after the hamstring injury that kept the left-arm quick out of Darwin. Phil Simmons sounds unconvinced about using him. "He offers something different, but again, we just won a Test match, so I am one who hardly likes to change winning XIs," the Bangladesh coach said.

ABC Sport reports that Tanzid Hasan is managing a neck problem that could bring Soumya Sarkar into the side. Tanzid made 101 in the first innings at Darwin. Hasan Mahmud took 6 for 55 in Australia's first innings and Mehidy Hasan Miraz five in the second, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto making 84. Cameron Green's century and six wickets for Josh Hazlewood were Australia's only sustained answers.

Harrup Park, Australia's 12th Test ground

Great Barrier Reef Arena at Harrup Park is Queensland's fourth Test ground, joining the Gabba, the Brisbane Exhibition Ground and Cazalys in Cairns. Queensland Cricket chief executive Terry Svenson called the allocation "the culmination of many years of hard work from numerous individuals."

The ground reached this point through a decade of progressively larger fixtures. Queensland Cricket lists its record as:

• Men's and women's internationals across recent northern winters
• Australia A four-day matches against New Zealand and India
• Women's Big Bash League fixtures
• Sheffield Shield cricket
• The national indigenous championships

Cricket Australia allocated the fixture to a ground with a documented hosting record.

Standings and start times

Australia lead the World Test Championship standings. The ICC has Bangladesh fourth on 66.67 percent of available points after Darwin. Australia had never lost a Test to Bangladesh on home soil before last week. They now face losing a home series to them inside nine days.

Play begins at 10am AEST on Saturday 22 August. That is 9.30am ACST and 8am AWST. The Test is scheduled through to 26 August.