Starc Leads Australia’s Attack with 6 for 71 on Day 1 of 2nd Ashes Test

Mitchell Starc seldom bowls without his regular bowling partners of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon. It was his second Test in which he was forced to play without the full complement of Australia’s leading bowlers, but he still performed admirably, taking 6 wickets for 71 runs on the first day.

The Challenge of Bowling Without the Big Four

The absence of the big four complicated the work of Starc. It could have benefited from a change in pace, particularly when Zak Crawley and Joe Root developed a 117-run collaboration. Still, during the final session, whilst Root and Ben Stokes brought England to 210/4, Australia continued to depend heavily on the speed of Starc.

The backup bowlers, Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Cameron Green,  offered consistent spells, although they were repetitive. 

However, Starc worked tirelessly and this made England pressurized. He also took early wickets, and in the first over, he dismissed Ben Duckett with an outswinger. He followed soon after by getting Ollie Pope in the same manner, and reduced England to 5 to 2. His constant pressure at both ends of the pitch was critical.

A Moment of Glory for Starc

The time came when he dismissed Harry Brook, who was attempting to make an impression. Brook drove a flat-footed; the ball ran to second slip, where Steven Smith made a catch without difficulty. This wicket saw Starc become the first left-arm bowler in Test history to take 415 wickets.

Akram, who had spoken highly of Starc ahead of the match, praised him again on social media, posting, “Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”

In response to the accolade, Starc remained humble, saying, “Pretty tired. I’ll reflect on it later. Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am.”

Brilliant Fielding and a Tough Job Ahead for Australia

Despite Starc’s brilliance, Australia found themselves under pressure after England fought back with an unbroken final-wicket stand of 61 runs between Root and Jofra Archer. This helped England to a respectable 325 for 9 by the end of the day. Some excellent fielding supported Starc’s remarkable bowling performance. 

One of his wickets came from a sensational catch by wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who sprinted back to take a top edge off Gus Atkinson’s bat. Carey nearly collided with Marnus Labuschagne, who was also chasing the ball from slip.

Another key piece of fielding brilliance came from Josh Inglis, who had replaced Usman Khawaja in the lineup. Inglis’s quick thinking from cover resulted in a stunning direct-hit run-out to dismiss Stokes. This was particularly crucial after tea, when Australia’s four main quicks had slowed England's scoring rate.

“It’s one of those that a bit of brilliance in the field can change a little bit of the momentum,” Starc said. “A bit like a couple of Ashes ago, where Nathan Lyon ran out James Vince here at the Gabba and changed the momentum that day. I think the one today was probably a better run-out, but don’t tell Nathan that.”

Starc’s performance was undeniably the highlight of the day for Australia, but the absence of Lyon remains a talking point. Despite the 6-wicket haul, the omission of Lyon might yet be a key narrative in this match.