Mitchell Starc says he’s extremely proud to have joined Australia’s illustrious 300 wickets club but has already signalled his intent to spearhead his country to historic series wins in India and England, as well as a maiden World Test Championship.
With a big hooping inswinger that sneaked through a huge gap between Rassie van der Dussen’s bat and pad, Starc became the seventh Australian bowler to reach 300 wickets on day two of the opening Test against South Africa in Brisbane.
Starc could have reached the milestone on day one had Travis Head held onto a difficult chance at short leg off the bat of Kagiso Rabada.
Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), Nathan Lyon (454), Dennis Lillee (355), Mitchell Johnson (313) and Brett Lee (310) are the only Australians with more Test wickets than Starc.
However, Starc has a better strike rate (49.5) than the aforementioned names. On the all-time Australian wicket list, you have to go down to Pat Cummins, in 17th place overall, to find someone with a superior strike rate (46.3) than his opening bowler partner.
Across all nations, only 37 bowlers have taken 300 Test scalps.
Mitchell Starc celebrates his 300th Test wicket on Sunday in Brisbane.Credit:Getty
“It’s something to be proud of,” Starc said. “It’s something I will reflect on later. Just really pleased to have a good Test match win.
“It’s very strange to have a Test match win in two days but I guess it gives us a chance to enjoy that together.
“Trav Head was the first one to run in and say you’d rather take it like that than him catching it.”
Starc believes he’s playing some of the best Test cricket of his career and Australia will be desperate for more of the potency and accuracy during a huge 12 months on the horizon.
Australia travel to India in February for a four-Test series. It has been 18 years since Australia won a series in India under the leadership of Adam Gilchrist.
After that, there’s a World Test Championship – provided Australia don’t capitulate against South Africa and India in upcoming matches – before an away Ashes series.
Despite retaining the Ashes in the UK in 2019, Australia haven’t won an away series against England since 2001.
Throw in a 50-over World Cup in India in October and there is a nice banquet of trophies for Starc to hone his focus on.
Pat Cummins congratulates Mitchell Starc.Credit:AP
“I don’t think you have to look much further than the next six months for us,” Starc said. “To be a part of that would be really special. Wickets aside, we’ve got an opportunity to win a series in India and then to win a series in England with hopefully a Test Championship in the middle. We’ve got a team and bowling attack that I’m lucky enough to call my closest mates. For me, that’s as much of a carrot as I need to be a part of that.
“Hopefully the next six months are going to be really special.”
Before this Test, Starc said he never got the chance to ask Shane Warne why he was overly critical of him. While Warne maintained it was never personal, it would be interesting to know what the late great thought of the left-armer reaching the milestone.
It was fitting, to a certain extent, that Starc’s first Test wicket was Brendon McCullum at the Gabba in 2011.
Starc’s 300th wicket was a very similar mode of dismissal – and delivery – to the one he sent down to McCullum in the 2015 World Cup final that shattered his stumps.
Starc’s dedication to the baggy green can never be questioned. This is a player who year after year has turned down millions of dollars on offer in the Indian Premier League to preserve his body for the rigours of Test cricket.
“I know I prioritised it. I don’t look at it as a sacrifice or anything like that,” Starc said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my April and May spending time with [wife] Alyssa [Healy] at home and away from cricket.
There is very little difference in Starc’s home and away record. In Australia, he averages 26.18, while abroad he concedes 27.63 runs per wicket.
“I’ve seen him mending scars and bruises and blisters in the change room,” Cummins said.
“You see the toil behind the wickets and performances. It puts him right in the upper echelon of great Aussie bowlers.”
With a chuckle, Cummins added: “Now he’s nipping the ball a bit more. I reckon his next 300 will come pretty quickly.”
