The final Test of the Australia vs West Indies series at Sabina Park, Kingston, was nothing short of spectacular. From July 12 to 14, fans witnessed dominant cricket by the Australians who defeated West Indies by 176 runs and completed a 3-0 whitewash. The match also became memorable for a historic bowling spell from Mitchell Starc who left the cricketing world in awe.
On Monday (Tuesday IST), Mitchell Starc etched his name into the record books by becoming the fastest bowler ever to claim a five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Playing in his 100th Test match, the legendary Australian pacer dismantled the West Indies batting line-up in just 15 deliveries during their second innings, surpassing the previous record of 19 balls held jointly by Ernie Toshack, Stuart Broad and Scott Boland.
Mitchell Starc’s destruction began with the very first ball of the innings, dismissing John Campbell for a golden duck, caught by substitute fielder Josh Inglis. Just four balls later, he sent Kevlon Anderson back to the pavilion, trapping him leg-before-wicket for a duck. On the very next delivery, Starc bowled Brandon King, also for a golden duck, leaving West Indies stunned.
Though his second over went wicketless, it was tight and economical. He returned in his third over and immediately struck again, this time dismissing Mikyle Louis LBW. Louis had scored 4 runs from 10 balls, and his wicket marked Starc’s 400th in Test cricket, a milestone achieved by only three other Australians before him — Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Nathan Lyon.
The final blow came when Mitchell Starc trapped Shai Hope LBW on the third ball of the fifth over. Shai Hope had scored just 2 runs and with this wicket, Mitchell Starc completed a remarkable five-wicket haul in a record-breaking burst.
He ended the innings with astonishing figures of 6 for 9 in just 7.3 overs, playing a crucial role in Australia’s convincing win. His brilliance earned him both the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series awards, a fitting tribute to his 100th Test appearance. With this performance, Mitchell Starc not only shattered records but also reminded the cricketing world of his enduring pace, precision and impact.
