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Mitchell Starc Makes History: First to 10 Fifty-Plus Scores Batting at Nine

Mitchell Starc has carved out a unique piece of cricket history. He's the first player ever to hit ten scores of fifty or more while batting at number nine or lower in Test matches. He reached this milestone with a brisk half-century against England in Adelaide. This feat highlights his incredible value as a genuine bowling all-rounder for Australia.

Key Points: Mitchell Starc First to 10 Fifty-Plus Scores Batting at Nine

  • Starc scored a rapid 54 from 75 balls batting at nine in the Adelaide Test
  • He now has 1,745 runs at an average of 24.57 from the tailender position
  • Stuart Broad and Daniel Vettori are his closest rivals with six fifty-plus scores each
  • Starc is also the series' leading wicket-taker with 18 scalps at 15.33
3 min read

Ashes 3rd Test: Starc becomes first player to complete 10 fifty-plus scores batting at number nine or below in Tests

Mitchell Starc makes Test cricket history, becoming the first player ever to score 10 fifty-plus innings while batting at number nine or lower during the Ashes.

"This Ashes series at home has been nothing short of a dream for Starc so far. - Match Report"

Adelaide, December 18

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc continued to have an Ashes campaign for ages, becoming the first-ever cricketer to have 10 fifty-plus scores at number nine or lower in Test cricket.

Starc achieved this feat during the third Ashes Test against England at Adelaide Oval. Batting at number nine, Starc once again delivered, scoring a quick 75-ball 54, with nine boundaries.

Batting at number nine or lower, Starc has been extremely servicable for Australia with the bat, scoring 1,745 runs at an average of 24.57, with nine fifties in 95 innings and best score of 99.

His distant rivals are England's Stuart Broad (2,305 runs in 127 Tests, with a century and five fifties) and New Zealand's Daniel Vettori (1,275 runs in 58 Tests with a century and five fifties), with six fifty-plus scores each.

This Ashes series at home has been nothing short of a dream for Starc so far, with 143 runs in three Tests at an average of 47.66, with two fifties in three innings. He is the fifth-highest run-getter in the series. With the ball, he has taken 18 wickets at an average of 15.33, with two five-wicket hals and best figures of 7/58 across five innings and reigns supreme in the wickets charts.

At the end of the session, England was 59/3, with Joe Root (11*) and Harry Brook (6*) unbeaten. They trail by 312 runs.

Australia started day 2 at 326/8, with Nathan Lyon (0) and Mitchell Starc (33*).

Starc started the day on a positive note for the Aussies, smashing two boundaries each against Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse.

He reached his second fifty of the series in 73 balls, with eight fours, continuing a dream run in the series.

However, the partying did not last very long for the Aussies as Jofra Archer trapped Nathan Lyon plumb for a 35-ball 9. Australia was skittled out for 371 in 91.2 overs.

Archer (5/53) was the star for England, while Brydon Carse and Will Jacks chipped in with two wickets. Josh Tongue got one.

England started their first innings on an aggressive note, with Duckett collecting four boundaries in the first four overs against Starc and skipper Pat Cummins.

However, England's fortunes started taking a hit as Zak Crawley (9 in 19 balls) nicked it to Alex Carey, giving skipper Cummins a wicket. England was 37/1 in 7.4 overs.

Nathan Lyon struck twice in the ninth over, getting Ollie Pope caught by Josh Inglis for a 10-ball 3, continuing his flop run in the series and ended the over by cleaning up Duckett for a 30-ball 29, with five fours. England looked at all sorts of trouble at 42/3 in 10 overs.

Lyon also went past Glenn McGrath to become Australia's second-highest Test wicket-taker behind late spin wizard Shane Warne (708).

England reached their 50-run mark in 12.4 overs as Joe Root and Harry Brook made sure England played out the rest of the session without any losses.

Earlier, Aussies ended the proceedings on day one at 326/8, with Alex Carey (106 in 143 balls, with eight fours and a six) scoring his first Ashes ton after Aussies were down and out at 94/4. Usman Khawaja (82 in 126 balls, with 10 fours) marked a commendable return to the side with a knock consisting of crispy cuts and trademark slog sweeps.

Brief Scores: Australia: 371 (Alex Carey 106, Usman Khawaja 82, Jofra Archer: 5/53) vs England: 59/3 (Ben Duckett 29, Joe Root 11*, Nathan Lyon 2/14).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Amazing achievement! To be so consistent at number 9 is incredible. Also, Lyon passing McGrath is huge news. The Ashes is delivering some fantastic cricket. Wish the BGT was this competitive right now.
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Ananya R
Starc's average of 24.57 is better than some of our top-order batters in overseas conditions! 😅 Jokes aside, this shows his dedication. A fast bowler who can swing the ball and score crucial runs. England is in deep trouble at 59/3.
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Vikram M
While Starc's record is impressive, let's be honest, the article is a bit too glowing. He's had a dream series, but his overall batting average is still mid-20s. The real hero for Australia was Alex Carey with that century from 94/4. That's the innings that changed the game.
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Karthik V
Archer's 5-wicket haul deserves more mention! He brought England back. But Starc... what a legend. 18 wickets AND crucial runs. Man of the series so far. England's batting looks shaky as usual. Root and Brook have a mountain to climb.
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Priya S
As an Indian fan, I enjoy watching such high-quality cricket. Starc's achievement is a niche but important one. It shows the depth in Australian cricket. Also, Nathan Lyon! Becoming 2nd highest wicket-taker for Aus is no small feat. True champion.

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