Mitchell Starc will become second Australian fast bowler to reach 100 Tests in final clash with West Indies

The series is wrapped up in the West Indies and the Australians have something special to celebrate, with an enormous milestone looming for a long-time star.

Mitchell Starc has been labelled a “warrior” by his captain Pat Cummins as the veteran quick prepares for his 100th Test match, becoming just the second Australian fast bowler to reach the milestone.

Starc, 35, is also on the verge of breaking the 400-wicket barrier in the third and final Test against the West Indies, needing five more scalps to hit the mark and record a significant double nearly 15 years in the making.

With 74 wickets in pink-ball matches, breaking through that barrier would seem more likely than not in the day-night Test in Jamaica.

Australian captain Cummins raved about the longevity of Starc, who has battled a series of injuries since his Test debut in 2011 and will join Glenn McGrath (124) in the 100-Test club in the third and final match of the series.

Mitchell Starc embraces captain Pat Cummins. Picture: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan

It will be Starc’s 293rd match for his country across all formats, and his 395 Test wickets, so far, puts him well clear in fourth spot all time for Australia.

Cummins, who has moved up to eighth on the same list through 70 Tests and could hit 500 should he also push on to 100, said he couldn’t “fathom” the possibility of still bowling as fast as Starc does after so many matches.

“I mean it’s a huge effort as a fast bowler as well and he’s still bowling at 145km/h at the end of that game,” Cummins said after the second-Test victory.

“And I can’t fathom playing a hundred games and keeping that kind of speed.

“He’s just a warrior, just turns up every week and wants to play no matter what, just cracks on and is such a low-fuss kind of guy.

“All things going well, it’ll be a great week for him next week we’ll kind of celebrate.

“It’s a pretty small crew that have played 100 Tests. He’s the second fast bowler (for Australia), it’s really rare, really tough to do, so proud of him.”

Mitchell Starc celebrates taking the wicket of West Indies captain Roston Chase. Picture: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan

Of the 81 players to reach 100 Tests, only 11, including Starc, have been fast bowlers and McGrath is the only other Australian.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald recognised the “incredible achievement” given the toll fast bowling has taken on so many.

“You think of the surfaces we play on in Australia, they’re firm, they’re hard, they take their toll. There’s a reason why there’s only two that have ever done it for Australia,” he said.

“His resilience, his planning, his preparation… and he’s sacrificed a fair bit along the way as well.

“You look to some of the IPLs that he’s missed to get his body right to play for Australia. He’s put a lot of work into it. I’m really proud of him and he’s getting his great reward for what he’s given up and the way he’s gone about it. All the plaudits that are coming his way this week he deserves.”

Starc will send down his 19,000th Test delivery at some stage in Jamaica, another testament to his longevity.

FAST BOWLERS TO PLAY 100 TESTS

James Anderson (Eng)

Stuart Broad (Eng)

Glenn McGrath (Aus)

Courtney Walsh (WI)

Wasim Akram (Pak)

Shaun Pollock (SAf)

Ishant Sharma (Ind)

Makhaya Ntini (SAf)

Chaminda Vaas (SL)

Tim Southee (NZ)

Originally published as Mitchell Starc will become second Australian fast bowler to reach 100 Tests in final clash with West Indies