Starc pips Akram to become leading left-arm bowler in Test history

Australian veteran Mitchell Starc became the most prolific left-arm paceman in Test history on Thursday, surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram.

The 35-year-old dismissed Harry Brook for 31, caught by Steve Smith at second slip, to claim his 415th Test wicket and go past Wasim Akram's tally of 414 victims after striking with the second ball of his new spell.

Interestingly, Starc made his Test debut at the same venue against New Zealand in 2011 and is one of only three bowlers, alongside Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin, to have taken at least 350 Test wickets since January 2015.

The Pakistani great was quick to hail the Aussie pacer for breaking his record.

"Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career," Akram posted on X.

In the series opener in Perth, the left-arm quick produced a sensational spell of 7-58 and became just the 21st bowler and the 13th Australian to reach 100 Ashes wickets.

In the current squads of both teams, only Nathan Lyon (110) and Starc are the two bowlers to hold 100 or more wickets in the Ashes.

Mitchell Starc celebrates his five wicket haul and acknowledges the crowd after taking the wicket of Gus Atkinson, caught out by Alex Carey. Reuters

Akram played 104 Tests for his 414 wickets with Starc reaching the milestone in his 102nd, helped by a career-best 7-58 in the first innings of the opening Ashes Test at Perth.

Starc is now 16th on the all-time wicket-taker list and could move above both India's Harbhajan Singh (417) and South Africa's Shaun Pollock (421) in the current pink-ball Test.

After that he will have New Zealand's Richard Hadlee (431) in his sights.

Ollie Pope (C) reacts after playing the ball onto his stumps off a delivery from Mitchell Starc in Brisbane. AFP

Speaking about the match, Starc gave Australia a dream start under the pink ball Test, reducing England to 5/2 within three overs.

He first removed Ben Duckett for duck on the last of the first over before dismissing Ollie Pope for nil in his next over. '

Then, Zak Crawley and Joe Root dug England out of trouble to reach tea at 98/2. The duo stitched a 117-run stand off 152 balls for the third wicket, before the former fell to Michael Neser.

Then Harry Brook and Root steadied the ship with a 54-run stand for the fourth wicket before Starc removed Brook to become the most prolific left-arm bowler in Test cricket history with his 415th scalp.

Skipper Ben Stokes (17) and Jamie Smith (0) followed soon after as England reached 235/6 at the time of filing this report, with Root standing strong at 88 and Will Jacks at 17.

Agence France-Presse / IANS