Watch: Mitchell Starc clutches one-handed stunner as Zak Crawley fails to break the duck in Perth Test
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Watch: Mitchell Starc clutches one-handed stunner as Zak Crawley fails to break the duck in Perth Test")
Watch: Mitchell Starc clutches one-handed stunner as Zak Crawley fails to break the duck in Perth Test Photograph: (AFP)
For the second straight innings, he dismissed English opener Zak Crawley for a duck, having also done so in the first innings. However, it was Mitchell Starc’s effort to clutch Crawley that made the headlines when he completed the return catch.
Mitchell Starc is on fire in the ongoing opening Test of the Ashes 2025-26 as he continued to impress on Day 2 as well. Having scalped seven wickets to get his career best figures, he was at his tricks again on Saturday (Nov 22) at the Optus Stadium in Perth. For the second straight innings, he dismissed English opener Zak Crawley for a duck, having also done so in the first innings. However, it was Starc’s effort to clutch Crawley that made the headlines when he completed the return catch.
Starc continues magical run
Having bowled out Australia for 132, England wanted to make a positive start, but those plans were put to the sword as early as the first over again. Starc, having got the better of Crawley on the final ball of the opening over, this time repeated the trick with another first-over duck for the English batter. This time it came on the fifth ball of the opening over in the second innings.
However, it was the manner of the catch that made headlines as Starc had to complete a return one to clutch the ball. A return ball from Crawley was heading for a straight drive, but Starc dived to his left to complete a superb catch.
The Aussie pacer has already been in great form and could have completed a 10-wicket haul in the match, but Usman Khawaja failed to catch Jamie Smith’s edge in the 20th over. At the time of writing, Starc had nine wickets in the match, including two in the second innings. He also got the better of Joe Root again as he made eight runs in the second innings, having failed to break the duck in the first.
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At the time of writing, England were 83/5 in 23 overs with captain Ben Stokes (1) and Jamie Smith (6) in the middle. Overall, England were leading by 123 runs with five wickets in hand in the second innings. Despite being 65/1 at one stage, the visitors lost control and were 76/5. They lost four wickets in the span of 11 runs.
