Mitchell Starc Shines with Career-Best Performance in Jamaica Test
Starc's Unforgettable Test Match Experience
Kingston, Jamaica: Mitchell Starc delivered an impressive performance during the Test match in Jamaica, although he described the overall experience as somewhat uncomfortable, according to reports.
Starc's remarkable outing included a triple-wicket maiden, achieving the milestone of 400 Test wickets, and recording his best figures of 6/9 with the pink ball.
His bowling display featured a series of lethal inswingers, resulting in shattered stumps and batters being trapped LBW. Remarkably, only one of his six wickets required assistance from a fielder, with his 400th wicket coming from Mikyle Louis's unfortunate pad.
Starc Reflects on a Special Yet Challenging Week
Before the match, Starc was celebrated with signed jerseys, a bottle of Jamaican rum, and a touching video message from family, former teammates, and players from his AFL team, the Greater Western Sydney Giants. However, once the game commenced, he shifted his focus to performance.
"This week has certainly been uncomfortable," Starc remarked. "I was just pleased to secure a win and sing the team song. Wearing the baggy green has made this week special, and it’s a memory I will cherish for a long time."
A Quick Match and Daylight Dominance
The match concluded swiftly, allowing fans to play on the outfield before sunset. Australia's dominance, spearheaded by Starc and Scott Boland (who also took a hat-trick), was evident, but it wasn't a typical pink-ball collapse. The first two days saw hard-fought wickets, but on the third day, Starc dismantled the West Indies in daylight, claiming three wickets in his opening over.
Interestingly, only nine overs were bowled under lights throughout the match.
"It’s a win against the conditions since we only bowled nine overs under lights," Starc noted. "Everyone bowled exceptionally well today. We didn’t anticipate such a quick conclusion. We were initially focused on consolidating the scoreboard until the night session."
Starc's Milestone: 400 Wickets and Reflections on 100 Tests
In this four-Test series, starting from the World Test Championship final, Starc's statistics are impressive—20 wickets at an average of 16.45. His latest figures of 6/9 surpass his previous best of 6/48 against India in Adelaide.
"I’ve felt my rhythm has been solid for a while now," he stated. "Leading up to Lord's, everything seemed to fall into place, and it’s been great to maintain that throughout the series. Today felt in sync, and I got some late swing, possibly aided by the breeze since I wasn’t under lights."
Remarkably, Pat Cummins did not bowl in the fourth innings, marking only the second time in a significant match that he was fit but not needed. Starc and Boland had already completed the task.
"Much of the discussion leading into this week was about the resilience required to reach 100 Tests," Cummins commented on Starc. "But that’s the Starc I remember—capable of changing a game in just a few overs, regardless of the format or time."
Initially skeptical about day-night Tests, Starc had expressed concerns when the format was introduced. However, his record now stands at 81 wickets at an average of 17.08 in pink-ball Tests.