Gqeberha, Oct 20 (IANS) Australia great Mitchell Starc added another feather to his illustrious cap when he became the second Australian fast bowler to complete 450 wickets in the longest format during the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park here on Tuesday.
Starc achieved the feat during the first innings of the second Test when he bounced off Wiaan Mulder early on Day 3. Starc bowled a snorter that surprised the batter as Mulder could not do much but to just have his hands up in front with the ball as a faint glove was nicked behind for Alex Carey to pouch it. The umpire did not hear the nick as the Aussies got their man on review.
The wicket brought the 450th Test scalp for Starc as he became the second Aussie speedster alongside Glenn McGrath and fourth Australian overall to get to the milestone.
Most Test wickets for Australia:
708 – Shane Warne
573 – Nathan Lyon
563 – Glenn McGrath
450* – Mitchell Starc
355 – Dennis Lillee
Meanwhile, Starc took only 109 matches to reach 450 Test wickets, which is the third fewest matches by any Australian bowler and sixth fewest overall.
Fewest matches to 450 Test wickets:
80 – M Muralitharan
89 – R Ashwin
93 – Anil Kumble
100 – Glenn McGrath
101 – Shane Warne
109 – Mitchell Starc*
Australia came into Day 3 with their tails up. Scott Boland’s four-wicket haul on the rain-hit opening two days and Starc’s scalp of Matthew Breetzke had sent the hosts to 97/5 at the end of the second day.
Australia are already 1-0 up in the series and are fancying their chances of a series win as early as in Gqeberha. The Aussies have not won a Test in Gqeberha since 1997.
–IANS
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