Mitchell Starc cleared fences and smashed stumps in memorable Boxing Day Test debut

FOR years Mitchell Starc was haunted by the curse of having never played a Boxing Day Test, but the left-armer buried those demons with bat and ball.

Mitchell Starc was the hero on the final day at the MCG.

MITCHELL Starc evoked memories of Ian Botham’s famous match-snatching best with an all-round performance for the ages at the MCG.

Botham’s big hitting and swing bowling won England games that didn’t even seem in contention, and Starc cleared fences and smashed wickets to inspire Australia to one of the great Test match victories when it appeared all hope of a result had been lost.

For years Starc had been haunted by the curse of having never played a Boxing Day Test, but just as he proved in the World Cup final at the same venue last year, the left-armer was born for the biggest stage.

Starc’s scintillating 84, which featured an MCG record seven sixes, gave Australia their fighting chance, and then his four wickets late in the final session on day five finished the job.

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Mitchell Starc was the hero on the final day at the MCG.

Coach Darren Lehmann then declared post-match that Starc would not be rested for his home Test at the SCG.

All things considered, rain virtually wiped out a day and a half of this Test, yet Australia won by an innings and 18 runs – a fighting performance that proved pride in the baggy green has been restored after the crisis that descended earlier this summer.

After Australia declared 181 runs ahead just before lunch on the final day, Starc’s blazing 4-36 and Nathan Lyon’s back-from-the-dead 3-33 clinched the home side a 2-0 series triumph with 14 overs still up their sleeve.

“It’s got to be right up there (with the great wins),” said Smith, after the skipper hammered 165 not out in an MCG record total of 624 declared and then attacked Pakistan with everything he had.

“I said to the boys this morning that cricket is a funny game and anything can happen.

“I thought Starcy was incredible.

“He batted beautifully, broke the record for most sixes at the MCG and hit the ball incredibly cleanly for us to give us the opportunity to get 181.

Starc hit a record seven sixes in his epic knock.

“I thought Nathan Lyon bowled beautifully … and then Starcy did what Starcy has done for a while and was absolutely world class.”

Starc started the Test slowly, taking just one late wicket in the first innings, but when the game was on the line he exploded like a rocket launcher.

The famous in-swinger that has eluded him this summer returned with a vengeance to trap Babar Azam plumb lbw with the first ball after tea to leave Pakistan reeling at 2-6.

Then after Lyon had torn the heart out of the middle order, Starc returned to storm through the Pakistan tail with the three final wickets – two of them tornado-like efforts to bowl Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz.

In scenes reminiscent of Australia’s famous 2006 Ashes win in Adelaide where out of nowhere they carved through England’s batsmen on the final day, Smith’s side – down and out earlier this summer – grafted out a win that players will be able to draw in times of need for years to come.

However, Smith stressed Australia are far from being the finished product.

“We’re still a work in progress,” he said.

“We’re a young team and I’m proud of the boys. We’ve played some really good cricket the past couple of weeks to win three Test matches on the bounce. It’s been outstanding but we want a clean sweep in Sydney and we need to continue to improve in every aspect.

“I think it can give you that belief to know you’re never out of the game and you can pull a win out of your hat from nowhere. It’s quite remarkable the way we were able to do that today.

“Everything went to plan.”

Pakistan only have themselves to blame for suffering the rare fate of losing with 450 plus on the board for the first innings, with no-balls and dropped catches ultimately coming back to haunt them.

Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird also took crucial last day wickets in a comprehensive all-round bowling performance.