Known primarily for his lethal pace and ability to strike early with the ball, Starc revealed a rarely seen aspect of his game, resilience with the bat, during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s
In a gritty display under pressure, Starc remained unbeaten on 58 off 136 deliveries, including five boundaries. He forged a vital 59-run partnership for the final wicket with Josh Hazlewood, who contributed 17 from 53 balls
This knock marked Starc’s 11th Test half-century and his eighth while batting at number nine or lower, more than any other player in the history of Test cricket. Notably, only two players, Stuart Broad and Starc, have managed five 50-plus scores from the lower order (number nine or below) in a single country, both achieving the feat in England
Australia’s first innings had begun on a rocky note after being sent in to bat by South Africa. They found themselves reeling at 67/4 by lunch. A crucial 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 off 112 balls, 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 off 92 balls, 11 fours) steadied the ship
Webster followed it up with a 46-run partnership with Alex Carey (23 off 31 balls, four boundaries), which helped Australia inch closer to the 200-run mark. However, the Proteas bowlers, led by Kagiso Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49), dismantled the lower order, restricting Australia to 212
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