Mitchell Starc proved he’s a man of superior class when he opted not to take advantage of a clear Mankad opportunity thanks to a total brain fade from South African batter Theunis de Bruyn.
On the last bowl of his ninth over, Starc was steaming in at full pace to send down a thunderous delivery to Sarel Erwee.
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However, just as he planted his foot, the Aussie star didn’t follow through as he spotted de Bruyn wandering down the pitch with his bat well out of the crease.
Starc had some choice words for his rival as he walked back to his mark and was visibly frustrated.
“Just stay in your crease, it’s not that hard,” Starc said.
“The line’s there for a reason, mate.”
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De Bruyn looked rattled by the bowler’s comment, as the Fox Cricket team all shared the same view.
“My word,” Isa Guha remarked.
Adam Gilchrist added: “That’s a frustrated fast bowler right there. He’s got a lot to deal with at the moment. You’d have to expect he’s in a fair deal of discomfort due to that finger.”
Mark Taylor noted: “Well he’d hurt his finger if he went for the Mankad.”
Gilchrist replied: “It’s a long drift that. That’s a loss of concentration from de Bruyn.”
Funnily enough, Starc removed Erwee (21) when he trapped the opener LBW, although it took a review from the Aussies to get umpire Paul Reiffel’s initial decision overturned.
De Bruyn didn’t last much longer as he was dismissed for 28 only three overs later, although it was Scott Boland who snared his wicket after the South African edged his delivery to Steve Smith in the slips.
Speaking during a drinks break after de Bruyn was sent back to the dressing room, Starc had a cheeky take on his adversary’s tendency to go walkabout.
“He’s halfway down Punt Road, wasn’t he,” Starc told Fox Cricket.
“It’s bad enough in white ball cricket, I don’t know what the need is in red ball cricket.
“I was just letting him know that if I have to keep my foot behind the line, he can at least keep the bat behind the line.”
