AUS vs WI: Mitchell Starc Tumbles Records With Historic Spell, Becomes Fastest Bowler To Bag 5-Wicket Haul In Test

Legendary Australian pacer Mitchell Starc etched his name in the history books by taking a sensational five-wicket haul in just 15 balls—the fastest in Test cricket history. His fiery spell helped Australia bowl out the West Indies for just 27 runs in the third Test, marking the second-lowest total ever recorded in Test cricket.

During his milestone 100th Test, Mitchell Starc delivered a stunning performance, taking three wickets in his very first over after Australia set a target of 204 for the West Indies in the day-night series finale in Kingston.

Starc’s fourth wicket came in the fifth over when he trapped Mikyle Louis lbw, making him only the fourth Australian to reach 400 career Test wickets—joining legends Shane Warne (708), Glenn McGrath (563), and close friend Nathan Lyon (562).

The left-arm pacer didn’t stop there. He dismissed Shai Hope with his 15th delivery, completing his five-wicket haul in just 15 balls, the fastest five-for in Test cricket history.

This incredible feat broke the previous record of 19 balls, held jointly by:

• Ernie Toshack vs India (Brisbane, 1947)

• Stuart Broad vs Australia (Trent Bridge, 2015)

• Scott Boland vs England (MCG, 2021)

Starc’s fiery spell left the West Indies reeling, bowled out for just 27 runs—the second-lowest total ever in Test cricket.

The 35-year-old’s sixth wicket sealed a dominant 176-run victory, completing Australia’s first-ever series sweep against the West Indies in the Caribbean. The hosts struggled heavily, recording a new Test record of seven ducks in their second innings.

Mitchell Starc finished with incredible figures of 6 wickets for 9 runs, the best innings performance by any player in their 100th Test. This surpassed Muttiah Muralidaran’s previous record of 6/54 for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in 2006.

Meanwhile, Scott Boland—who holds the best bowling average in the last 110 years of Test cricket—continued to impress. He claimed a hat-trick, leaving the West Indies reeling at 26/9. Boland dismissed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, and Jomel Warrican with three consecutive balls at the start of his second over, becoming only the 10th Australian to take a Test hat-trick.

With his combined figures of 3-34 and 3-2 at Sabina Park during Australia’s Test win, Boland’s career bowling average now stands at an astonishing 16.53, the best in over a century for bowlers with at least 2,000 balls bowled in Test cricket.

Fastest Five-Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket History