Mitchell Starc, in his milestone 100th Test, wreaked havoc on the third day of the third and final Test match against the West Indies. He picked up six wickets for just nine runs in 7.3 overs and in the process, also created a world record. The left-arm fast bowler registered the quickest ever five-wicket haul in the history of Test cricket, taking only 15 balls in his spell to do so.
The earlier record was of 19 balls by Ernie Toshack against India in 1947, Stuart Broad against Australia and Scott Boland against England in 2021. Toshack picked up his five wickets at the Gabba 78 years ago while Broad managed to achieve the feat in Nottingham during the Ashes and Boland did it at the iconic MCG four years ago, also in the Ashes.
Fastest five-wicket hauls in Test cricket history
Mitchell Starc (Australia) - 15 balls vs West Indies in 2025
Ernie Toshack (Australia) - 19 balls vs India in 1947
Stuart Broad (England) - 19 balls vs Australia in 2015
Scott Boland (Australia) - 19 balls vs England in 2021
Shane Watson (Australia) - 21 balls vs South Africa in 2021
Coming back to Starc, he was on the money, right from the word go, striking on the very first ball to dismiss John Campbell. On the last ball of his first over, Kevlon Anderson and Brandon King. In the third over of his spell, the procession continued as Mikyle Louis and Shai Hope were sent back by Starc to complete his fifer in just 15 balls and at that stage, the West Indies were reeling at 7/5.
Mitchell Starc completes 400 Test wickets in milestone Test
In the process, Mitchell Starc also completed 400 wickets in his Test career in his milestone 100th Test. He is only the second fast bowler from Australia to do so with Glenn McGrath being the other who finished with 563 wickets in his Test career.
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