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Australian pacer Mitchell Starc recorded a memorable ten-wicket haul during the first Ashes Test against England at Perth's Optus Stadium on Saturday.
After taking a devastating 7/58 in the first innings, the best-ever bowling figures at the Optus Stadium, Starc started from where he had left, dismissing Zak Crawley for another duck with a brilliant one-handed grab, showcasing his remarkable athleticism in his mid 30s. He also managed to get crucial wickets of stalwart Joe Root and English skipper Ben Stokes. Starc is the first Aussie pacer to take a ten-wicket haul in Ashes Tests since 1990/91, when Craig McDermott produced figures of 11/157, which also came at Perth, though at the WACA Stadium during the final Test of the series, which Aussies won 3-0. After Bruce Reid, he is only the second left-arm pacer to have a ten-fer for Australia in Ashes. Bruce, who played 27 Tests for Australia from 1985-92 and took 113 wickets, produced figures of 13/148 in the second Melbourne Test way back in 1990 during the same aforementioned series in which McDermott has picked his ten-fer. The 35-year-old also continued to maintain his dominance over two of England's biggest stars, Ben Stokes and Joe Root. Starc has dismissed Stokes in 11 times in Tests, having conceded just 191 runs in 309 balls at an average of 17.36. He also got the wicket of Root for the 10th time in Test cricket, having given away 349 runs in 639 balls against Root at an average of 34.90. Coming to the match, England won the toss and opted to bat first. Despite Ben Duckett (21 in 20 balls, with four boundaries) showing sublime touch, England slumped to 39/3, with Joe Root's duck being a highlight of Starc's initial six-over burst that gave him three wickets. A half-century stand between Ollie Pope (46 in 58 balls, with four boundaries) and Harry Brook stabilised things for England, but half the side was back in the hut for 115 runs. Later, Brook (52 in 61 balls, with five fours and a six) and Jamie Smith (33 in 22 balls, with six fours) tried to counter-attack, but Starc (7/58) and Doggett (2/27) put a lid on England's scoring, who were also committing batting harakiri with some questionable shot selection. England was undone for 172 runs in 32.5 overs. In their first innings, Australia found it really hard dealing with the pace and bounce of Jofra Archer (2/11) and Brydon Carse (3/45) as they slumped to 31/4. Travis Head (21 in 35 balls, with a four) and Cameron Green (24 in 50 balls, with two fours) stitched a 45-run stand, but a five-wicket haul by England skipper Ben Stokes (5/23) led to the Aussies being undone for 132 runs. England led by 40 runs. England did lose Crawley for another duck to Starc, but a half-century stand between Ben Duckett (28 in 40 balls, with three fours) and Ollie Pope (33 in 57 balls, with two fours) took England's lead beyond 100 runs. But this upper hand was short lived as the trio of Scott Boland (4/33), Starc (3/55), and Brendan Doggett (3/51) took wickets at regular intervals, leaving England at 104/7 at one point. A half-century stand between Brydon Carse (20 in 20 balls, with a four and two sixes) and Gus Atkinson (37 in 32 balls, with two fours and two sixes) took England to a lead above 200 runs. They were skittled out for 164 runs, setting the Aussies 205 runs to win. (ANI)
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