Starc troubles in his first Ashes Test in 2013 (Source: @rafi4999/x.com)
"You just can't play that pace and swing!” Whenever Australia plays in whites, the line is common as Mitchell Starc never misses a single moment to showcase his bowling brilliance. Mitchell Starc’s fire is just the latest chapter in Australia’s never-ending ‘Mitchell legacy’, a pace-bowling dynasty so lethal it feels immortal.
There was a time when Mitchell Johnson was Australia’s pace giant, but some questions used to surface about who would come after Johnson. No one has ever imagined that another Mitchell would take the hot seat to drive the nation towards a new way of domination.
In Australia’s cricket history, the historic Ashes holds a special place, and Mitchell Starc’s entry to the series was quiet but loud enough to announce his arrival. Let’s revisit the day when Mitchell Starc took his first step on the big stage of the Ashes.
Trent Bridge quietly unleashes the first signs of Starc’s storm in Ashes
Australia has never seen any shortage of talent in any unit. On one hand, if they produced a batter like Don Bradman, a bowler like Glenn McGrath has also stunned the world with their fiery pace. Even after the game of cricket has been modernized, the Aussie dominance still shines bright as the next generation of the golden era is still carrying the legacy.
Keeping all the fixtures aside, the thrills of the Ashes are different. In the ongoing edition of the historic Test series has already witnessed the heat of Mitchell Starc. But how did he perform in his first Test? Having a thrilling domestic season, Starc made his Test debut for Australia in 2011, and the Ashes 2013 welcomed the fiery bowler for the first time.
Facing their arch-rivals, England, in the first Test of the series at Trent Bridge, the Australian side bowled first. Playing the Ashes for the first time is as exciting as making a Test debut, and there was nothing different for Starc. Bowling first, the bowler needed to wait long for his first scalp.
Dismissing Jonny Bairstow in the 58th over, Starc marked his first Ashes blood. His first dismissal already stunned the world; he announced his arrival with another wicket in the very next delivery, sending Steven Finn on a golden duck. Starc’s first innings of the Ashes ended with a spell of 2/54.
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Starc’s stormy spell leaves England gasping in the second innings
Bowling first, Starc announced his Ashes arrival with a slow, steady, and impactful spell, but the second innings saw the Aussie pacer’s inner fire troubling the English batter on their own home soil. Coming to open the innings with Alastair Cook, Joe Root fell on Starc’s trap on 5 runs, and the English side got a shock.
The carnage didn’t stop there. On the very next ball, Jonathan Trott was sent back for a golden duck, cementing Starc’s reputation as a nightmare for England. After consecutive blows, England bounced back as Kevin Pietersen stitched an outstanding partnership with Ian Bell.
Ian Bell’s century mounted pressure on the Aussie side, but Mitchell Starc delivered the breakthrough when it needed the most. Coming to bowl in the 147th over, Starc bowled a remarkable delivery, and Bell walked away scoring 109 runs in 267 balls with 15 boundaries. With that scalp, Starc proved his worth in any clutch moment.
Years passed, Ashes turned many chapters, but Mitchell Starc’s number against the arch-rivals speaks volumes. As another thrilling edition of the Ashes is going on and the veteran Aussie bowler is still making magic.
In just 23 Tests against England, he completed 100 Ashes wickets. From his first Ashes Test to the most recent one, Mitchell Starc only went shaper, stronger, and fiercer than ever.
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