Mitchell Starc scripts history, breaks all-time left-arm Test record
Mitchell Starc continued to add to his remarkable Test legacy on Thursday, becoming the most successful left-arm bowler in the history of Test cricket during Australia’s opening Test against Bangladesh in Darwin.Starc reached the landmark when he dismissed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam in the ninth over of the first innings. The wicket took his Test tally to 434, moving him past Sri Lanka great Rangana Herath and leaving Starc alone at the top of the list for wickets by a left-arm bowler.
10 left-arm bowlers with most wickets in Test cricket
| Rank | Name | Team | Tests | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | 106* | 434 |
| 2 | Rangana Herath | Sri Lanka | 93 | 433 |
| 3 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 104 | 414 |
| 4 | Daniel Vettori | New Zealand | 113 | 362 |
| 5 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 111 | 355 |
| 6 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 89 | 348 |
| 7 | Trent Boult | New Zealand | 78 | 317 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson | Australia | 73 | 313 |
| 9 | Zaheer Khan | India | 92 | 311 |
| 10 | Derek Underwood | England | 86 | 297 |
His latest milestone also lifted him alongside India legend Kapil Dev on the all-time Test wicket-takers’ list. Kapil claimed 434 wickets in 131 Tests between 1978 and 1994, meaning Starc has matched that tally in 25 fewer matches.The left-arm quick is now within touching distance of another major record. He needs only six more wickets to move into the top 10 of the all-time Test wicket-takers’ list. South Africa great Dale Steyn currently occupies 10th place with 439 wickets from 93 Tests.While Starc was making history, Bangladesh’s pace attack produced a performance of its own to put Australia under pressure on the opening day.Hasan Mahmud claimed a career-best 6-55 as Bangladesh bowled Australia out for 198 on a green-tinged surface in Darwin.Australia had made a brisk start after winning the toss, racing to 45 without loss before Hasan struck in his sixth over. He removed Jake Weatherald for 23 and then Travis Head for 22 in the following over, opening the door for Bangladesh to take control.Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain then exploited the conditions superbly. Taskin finished with 2-55, while Ebadot returned figures of 2-39, with the Bangladesh seamers maintaining pressure through the first two sessions.Australia’s innings was held together largely by Steve Smith, who produced a fighting 71, but Bangladesh’s disciplined pace attack consistently found enough movement and assistance from the surface to keep the hosts in trouble.With Australia dismissed for 198, Bangladesh’s fast bowlers ensured that the opening day in Darwin belonged as much to their attack as it did to Starc’s latest place in Test history.
