Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has etched his name into the history books by reaching a monumental milestone in international cricket. Playing in the second Test of the series between South Africa and Australia at Gqeberha, he delivered a stellar performance to become the first left-arm bowler in the world to claim 450 wickets in Test cricket. This remarkable achievement cements his status as one of the premier fast bowlers of his generation.
Early Breakthroughs and Reaching the Milestone
The milestone journey began during the first innings of the match when the left-arm pacer dismissed Matthew Breetzke for a mere personal score of 4 runs. Continuing his relentless spell, he later removed Wiaan Mulder to officially reach the coveted mark of 450 Test scalps. By achieving this feat, Starc also established the world record for taking 450 Test wickets in the fewest number of deliveries bowled, outstripping several bowling legends.
Surpassing Legends in Deliveries Bowled
Starc reached the 450-wicket milestone by bowling a total of 20,577 deliveries, making him the fastest in terms of balls bowled to achieve this feat globally. In doing so, he surpassed his fellow countryman Glenn McGrath, who required 23,474 deliveries to reach the same milestone. Starc accomplished this significant landmark in his 109th Test appearance, showcasing incredible longevity and endurance at the highest level of the sport.
Elite Company in Australian Cricket
With this accomplishment, Starc becomes the fourth Australian bowler overall to enter the 450-wicket club in Test matches, joining an elite group that includes Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Nathan Lyon. When measured by matches played, McGrath occupies the top spot among Australians by reaching the landmark in 100 Tests, while Starc sits right behind him at 109 matches. The overall world record for the fewest matches to 450 Test wickets belongs to Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, who accomplished the feat in his 80th Test.
All-Round Contributions and Career Statistics
Throughout his illustrious Test career, Starc has registered five-wicket hauls in an innings 19 times, alongside 21 four-wicket hauls and 4 ten-wicket match hauls. His career-best bowling figures remain 7 wickets for 58 runs, which he recorded against England during the Ashes series last year. Beyond his primary bowling duties, the 36-year-old has been a handy lower-order batsman, accumulating 2,504 runs at an average of 20.03, which includes 13 Test half-centuries.
Fastest Bowlers to 450 Test Wickets by Matches Played
- Muttiah Muralitharan: Reached the milestone in 80 Test matches for Sri Lanka.
- Ravichandran Ashwin: Achieved the landmark in 89 Test matches for India.
- Anil Kumble: Reached the figure in 93 Test matches for India.
- Glenn McGrath: Accomplished the feat in 100 Test matches for Australia.
- Shane Warne: Reached the milestone in 101 Test matches for Australia.
- Mitchell Starc: Reached the landmark in 109 Test matches for Australia.
