Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc on Monday, added another feather to his cap as he completed 100 One-Day International (ODI) wickets in Australia.
Starc achieved the milestone during the first ODI of the three-match series between Australia and Pakistan, underway here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Opening the bowling for Australia, Starc was quick to make an impact as he dismissed debutant opener Saim Ayub in just the third over.
From over the wicket, Starc bowled a slightly fuller delivery outside the off-stump, which angled in to breach Saim’s defence as he attempted to drive away from his body.
The dismissal pushed Starc’s ODI wickets tally in Australia to hundred.
As a result, Starc became only the fifth Australian to achieve the milestone, joining the likes of Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Craig McDermott.
Most Wickets by Australian bowlers in Home ODIs:
Bowler Innings Wickets
Brett Lee 94 169
Glenn McGrath 95 160
Shane Warne 83 134
Craig McDermott 88 125
Mitchell Starc 54 101*
Following the milestone wicket, Starc made another scalp by dismissing Abdullah Shafique.
The pacer bowled a short delivery and Shafique looked to leave the ball but could not drop his bat in time, which resulted in the ball to clip the toe of his bat on its way to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.
Starc’s quick wickets had reduced Pakistan to 24/4 in 6.4 overs. However, when this story was filed the visitors were reeling at 172/7 in 42 overs with debutant Muhammad Irfan Khan and Naseem Shah, unbeaten on 20 and 13 respectively, at the crease.