Mitchell Starc 300: Aus vs SA – Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has entered 300 Test wickets club for his country. He removed South African Rassie van der Dussen for a duck in the second innings in Brisbane on Sunday to achieve the feat. Starc has become only the second left-arm pacer from Australia, after Mitchell Johnson to have achieved the feat for the Baggy Greens. Watch AUS SA LIVE Streaming on SonyLIV & Follow South Africa vs Australia LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
BOWLLLLLLLLLED!
Mitch Starc grabs wicket No.300 with something out of this world! #PlayOfTheDay #AUSvSA | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/UoFrzcyziO
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 18, 2022
Mitchell Starc is also only the seventh bowler from Australia to have taken 300 or more Test wickets. Before him, only Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Lyon, Dennis Lillee, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson had taken 300 or more Test wickets for the Baggy Greens. Overall, Starc is the 37th bowler in Test history to bag 300 or more Test wickets.
Starc’s 300 Test wicket was also a typical Mitchell Starc delivery. The full ball was pitched around off that swung in a bit and decked back off the seam even more sharply. Van der Dussen attempted to drive it straight but was beaten by pace and the ball rattled the timber.
A magnificent milestone for Australia quick Mitchell Starc 🔥#AUSvSA | #WTC23 pic.twitter.com/J0V6s1YsYe
— ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2022
For Mitchell Starc, Test Cricket is the ultimate TEST
At a time, when youngsters and settled players are prioritizing T20s above Tests, Starc is an exception. Despite being in demand to play in the IPL and other cash rich leagues, Starc aims to play Test cricket for a long time for Australia.
Many believe that Starc’s decision to skip the IPL has impeded his development as a T20 bowler. But he doesn’t regret it because the relaxation and break have greatly improved his performance in Test cricket, which is still his top goal.
He has no regrets on losing out on a multi million dollar contract in the IPL, a competition he last played in 2015.
“In my mind, I don’t regret any of those decisions not to go. I wouldn’t change it. I feel like particularly last year if I take my Test cricket from the last 12-18 months, and how that’s benefited from the break that I’ve had through IPL periods, that’s paid for itself I guess. It’s always been my decision, and that is part of the reason that I do it, to give myself that break physically and mentally,” said the Australian pacer.
Starc is also considering retirement from white-ball formats to elongate his Test career. He will be essential to Australia’s preparations for the 50-over World Cup, which will be held in India the following year.
The left-arm pacer also hopes to compete in the 2024 World Cup, but these two competitions could put a stop to his desire to participate in the white-ball format because he has already made it clear that he wants to conserve energy for Test cricket.
The left-arm pacer made his debut in Test cricket in 2011 against New Zealand at the Gabba, Brisbane. Starc’s 100th wicket came against Sri Lanka in 2016, when he dismissed Kusal Perera, and his 200th came against the same opponents in 2019, when he dismissed Suranga Lakmal at the Gabba.
Mitchell Starc 300: Mitchell Starc enters 300 Test wickets club, becomes only the 2nd left-arm pacer from Australia to achieve the landmark: Follow Live Updates
In his 50th Test, Mitchell Starc becomes the 17th Aussie to claim 200 Test wickets!#AUSvSL | @Domaincomau pic.twitter.com/njun6gm6dr
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 24, 2019
