Pat Cummins, Australia’s red-ball captain, praised Mitchell Starc for joining the 300-wicket club in Test cricket during the opening match against South Africa at The Gabba in Brisbane. With three triples, Starc helped his squad dismiss the Proteas for just 152 runs in the first innings. After deciding to field first, captain Cummins wanted his fast bowlers to cause trouble right away, and the New South Wales left-arm seamer delivered. Dean Elgar was the first to be eliminated by him, and from that point on, the visitors were never able to reenter the game.
Temba Bavuma (38), who was attempting to help South Africa reach a respectable first innings total with Kyle Verreynne, was subsequently removed by Starc. Keshav Maharaj was his third victim in the opening innings. Starc only needed one wicket to join the 300-wicket club in the format when South Africa’s second innings began, and he did so when he removed Rassie van der Dussen in the third over.
The tall left-arm seamer struck with a full ball that pitched around the off-stump and jagged sharply back off the seam. Rassie absolutely missed the mark, and Starc entered the exclusive club. Cummins extolled fellow pacer after the game and said, “Keeps (Starc) impressing. The longevity to take 300 and play ten years is great, he keeps going to a different level. Around the wicket, nipping the ball away is a new skill. He is a huge member of our team, continues to get better.”
Starc is the most recent Australian to join the 300 club. Six Australians have previously joined the group, including Mitchell Johnson (313) and Brett Lee, Nathan Lyon (454), Dennis Lillee (355), Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), and Nathan Lyon (310). Starc continued the game by taking one more wicket, this time by again dismissing Maharaj. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the second Test (Boxing Day Test) of the three-match series from December 26–30.