Australia’s master of the first over, Mitchell Starc, has enhanced his remarkable wicket-taking record again to give the home side the perfect start to their Ashes campaign.
Four years after bowling opener Rory Burns around his legs at the Gabba, Starc needed a few extra balls in Perth but gave Zak Crawley a similar scoreless fate.
Taking the new ball after Australia lost the toss, Starc unleashed a perfect first over to the tall right-handed opener.
He pushed across him first ball before using his trademark swing to tighten him up.
The last ball of the over was the perfect set-up, a touch shorter with a scrambled seam moving away from Crawley and catching the edge.
Usman Khawaja didn’t look confident at first slip but did enough to hang onto the catch and give England their first dismissal of the summer before scoring a run.
It’s the 24th time Starc has claimed a wicket in the first over of an innings, the left-arm quick boasting an unrivalled ability to rattle opening batsmen while they’re nervous.
“Make that 24 times in the first over of an innings!” Ricky Ponting exclaimed on Channel 7’s commentary.
“Perfect length. Crawley tried to drive on the up. Maybe that little bit of extra bounce.
“Fine edge, maybe juggled by Khawaja at first slip. Perfect catching height. And that man has done it again.
“On the big stage, first morning of an Ashes, scrambled seam, extra bounce, nick. Khawaja does the rest, what a breakthrough for Australia.”
The English players are not the only ones to have felt Starc’s first-over wrath, with even coach Brendan McCullum having fallen victim during his illustrious playing career with New Zealand.
During the opening over of the 2015 one-day international final at the MCG, McCullum, who had been in impressive form, had his stumps knocked over in a blow that started the Australians on their way to another World Cup trophy.
In July, Starc blew the West Indies apart for a record-low total with five wickets in his first 15 deliveries, including three in the opening over.
