Video: Mitchell Starc breaks MCG record cracking with six blitz of Pakistani attack
MITCHELL Starc is known for his thunderous fast bowling, but he’s just broken a record with the bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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MITCHELL Starc is known for his thunderous fast bowling, but he’s just broken a record with the bat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The hard-hitting left-hander smashed seven balls over the ropes to break Andrew Symonds’ record for the most sixes in a Test innings at the ‘G’.
Starc was eventually out for 84 — his second highest score and eighth half-century in 49 innings — pulling a short ball from Sohail Khan and picked out Asad Shafiq on the square boundary to end a stunning knock.
The 26-year-old was particularly severe on Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah, hitting five sixes off his bowling and targeted the deep mid-wicket boundary with his powerful slog sweep.
Starc also hit another two into the stands off the bowling of useful part-time spinner Azhar Ali.
His innings, however, wasn’t without a bit of fortune, as he was dropped at deep mid-off by Sohail Khan off the bowling of Ali.
In breaking the record, he went past former Australian all-rounder Symonds’ effort in 2005, when he slammed six sixes against South Africa to save his Test career in a breathtakingly fast 54-ball 72.
Australia’s score of 8-624 declared, meanwhile, was the highest team total at the MCG, going past Australia’s 604 against England back in 1937 when Sir Donald Bradman (169), Stan McCabe (112) and Jack Badcock (118) each brought up three figures.
Only seven batsmen have scored more than three sixes in an innings at the MCG
Mitchell Starc (Australia) — Seven v Pakistan 2016
Andrew Symonds (Australia — Six v South Africa 2005
Virender Sehwag (India) — five v Australia 2003
George Bonnor (Australia) — four v England 1882
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) — four v Australia 2004
Mike Hussey (Australia) — four v South Africa 2005
Sohail Khan (Pakistan) — four v Australia 2016
Originally published as Video: Mitchell Starc breaks MCG record cracking with six blitz of Pakistani attack
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