Australia’s fast bowler Mitchell Starc etched his name in history by claiming the fastest five-wicket haul in Test cricket, achieving the feat in just 15 deliveries during the third Test match played in Kingston, Jamaica. On July 14, Starc dismantled the West Indies batting lineup and led Australia to a 176-run victory, sealing a 3-0 series whitewash.
This match marked Starc’s 100th Test, and he capitalized on the milestone with a devastating display of pace, precision, and aggression. On the very first ball of the second innings, he dismissed opener John Campbell, caught out. Just four deliveries later, debutant Kevlon Anderson was trapped LBW, followed by Brandon King, who was bowled the next ball, reducing West Indies to 3 wickets down without a run.
Starc then removed Mikyle Louis and Shai Hope, becoming one of only four Australian bowlers to surpass the 400-wicket mark in Test cricket. His sensational spell ended with figures of 9 wickets for just 6 runs.
The drama didn’t stop there. Scott Boland followed Starc’s destruction with a hat-trick, dismissing three batsmen in three deliveries. It marked the 10th hat-trick in Australia’s Test cricket history. The West Indies were bowled out for just 27 runs — the second-lowest total in Test history, behind New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1955.
Interestingly, the match had started poorly for Australia, who were bowled out for 121 in the first innings — their lowest total against West Indies in the last 30 years. Alzarri Joseph took 5-27, and Shamar Joseph claimed 4-34, but West Indies’ batting failed to capitalize.
At the end of the match, Australian captain Pat Cummins praised Starc, stating he showcased exactly what he’s capable of — turning the game in a flash. West Indies captain Roston Chase called the defeat “utterly embarrassing,” admitting his side failed to learn across all three matches and showed no fight in the final innings.
Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his extraordinary performance — a defining chapter in his career and a golden moment in Test cricket history.
