Mitchell Starc Scripts History, Becomes 4th Australian To Pick 700 international Wickets
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc completed 700 international wickets, becoming only the fourth Aussie bowler to do so on Thursday. Starc accomplished this feat during his side’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. During the first innings of Sri Lanka, during the fifth over after Australia made 654/6 declared in their first innings, Starc bowled a delivery that got some extra bounce and fine pace. Dimuth Karunaratne in an attempt to punch the ball, played a poor shot as the ball met the outside edge of his bat and the ball went straight to Nathan McSweeney at Gully. The former Sri Lankan captain was gone for seven.
In 287 matches, Starc has taken 700 wickets at an average of 25.78 in international cricket, with best figures of 6/28 and 24 five-wicket hauls, two ten-wicket hauls. He is Australia’s fourth-highest wicket-taker ever, next to pacers Brett Lee (718 wickets in 322 matches), Glenn McGrath (948 wickets in 375 matches) and late spin great Shane Warne (999 wickets and 338 matches). Starc is Australia’s fourth-highest Test wicket-taker with 377 scalps in 95 matches at an average of 27.74, with best figures of 6/48. He has taken 15 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls in Tests. Above him are: spinner Nathan Lyon (540 wickets in 135 Tests), McGrath (563 wickets in 124 Tests) and Warne (708 scalps in 145 Tests).
The veteran pacer is also the fourth-highest ODI wicket-taker for Australia, with 244 scalps in 127 matches at an average of 23.40 and best figures of 6/28. He has got nine five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. Above him are: Warne (293 in 194 matches), Lee and McGrath (380 wickets each in 221 and 249 matches respectively). Starc is the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia in T20Is and the team’s leading pacer, with 79 scalps in 65 matches at an average of 23.81, with best figures of 4/20. Above him is the spinner Adam Zampa, who has 117 wickets in 95 matches.
Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. A 92-run partnership between Usman Khawaja and Travis Head (57 in 40 balls, with 10 fours and a six) kickstarted things off for Australia. Steve Smith became the fourth Australian to touch 10,000 mark in Tests and centuries from him and Khawaja marked Australia’s day one end at 330/2. On the next day, misery and runs from Australian batters continued to pile up for Sri Lanka and the spin bowling trio of Prabath Jayasuriya (3/193), Jeffrey Vandersay (3/182) and Nishan Peiris (0/189) looked hopeless beyond repair.
Smith fell to Vandersay (141 in 251 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) after the team crossed 400-run mark while Khawaja converted his century to a maiden double ton, making 232 in 352 balls, with 16 fours and a six. Josh Inglis on his Test debut, also slammed a 94-ball 102 with 10 fours and a six, taking Australia beyond the 600-run mark. Contributions from Alex Carey (46*), Beau Webster (23) and Mitchell Starc (19*) helped Australia reach 654/6 declared, their highest-ever score in Asia, outdoing the 617 runs scored against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1980.
In their first innings, Sri Lanka lost their top order early and ended their day at 44/3, with Kamindu Mendis (13*) and Dinesh Chandimal (9*) unbeaten.
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