Mitchell Starc reveals secrets to all-time Test record
The Australian quick becomes the first bowler in 149 years to take a first-ball wicket on four separate occasions.
Mitchell Starc has achieved a milestone that no other bowler has managed in 149 years of Test cricket history. The Australian quick took a wicket on the first ball of a match for the fourth time in his career during the second Test in Mackay. Shadman Islam was caught in the gully by Cameron Green off Starc's opening delivery, marking this historic achievement.
Starc's previous first-ball wickets came against Dimuth Karunaratne in 2016, Rory Burns in 2021 and Yashasvi Jaiswal in 2024. He had been tied with West Indian bowler Pedro Collins, who achieved the feat three times. With this latest dismissal, Starc has now broken that tie and stands alone in Test cricket history.
Starc's approach to opening spells has remained unchanged throughout his 15-year international career. His focus on aggression and precision has defined his method at the start of innings, regardless of opposition or venue. The Australian fast bowler explained his enduring philosophy in the aftermath of his record-breaking achievement.
"Nothing has changed over 15 years. It is just run in and try and hit the stumps," Starc said as quoted by The West Australian.
[WATCH] Shoriful Islam strikes twice in one over vs AUS
Conditions and the art of swing bowling
The Mackay venue proved particularly conducive to Starc's style of bowling. Great Barrier Reef Arena hosted the first Test in its history, and Starc showed no sympathy for top order batters facing a swinging ball in challenging conditions. The contrast between different Australian venues during the Bangladesh series highlighted how environmental factors shape fast bowling success.
"Clearly when the ball does move it creates opportunities. We saw when it was pretty flat last week (in the first Test in Darwin) and the ball was going straight it was pretty easy batting." Starc said.
Beyond his first-ball achievement, Starc produced a dominant performance in the Mackay Test. He wrapped up the Bangladeshi innings at 64 with his sixth wicket of the day. This five-wicket haul extended his tally of first-over wickets in Test cricket to 26, placing him just three behind England's James Anderson, whose 29 scalps remain the most in the format.
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