Tempers flared late into Day 2’s play of the first Test of the series between Australia and Bangladesh at Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin. During Mitchell Starc's 21st over of the innings, Mehidy Hasan Miraz played the ball down the ground for a single. Miraz made the mistake of running on the pitch as he couldn’t move to the right due to Starc’s follow-through. It led to a heated altercation between the two with Starc saying “get off the wicket!”, leading to umpire Kumar Dharamsena preventing it from escalating any further.
“It’s my follow-through, not your follow-through. Get off the wicket,” Starc was heard saying on the stump mic while pointing a finger at the Bangladesh all-rounder.
Miraz was not looking to escalate and said to Dharamsena: "I can't see, I can't see. I didn't see."
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But, Starc was not convinced even though Dharamsena was having a word with the Bangladesh batter.
“You’re not in Bangladesh now, hey?” Starc said.
However, Miraz got former Australia captain Ricky Ponting's support from Channel 7 commentary box.
"Yeah, I am not sure that was on purpose," Ponting shared his observation.
On the last ball of the over, Hasan Mahmud defended it back to the bowler. Starc picked up the ball and then rolled it on the pitch, again having a word with Miraz.
Starc did not bowl another over on Day 2. At Stumps, Bangladesh were 351/6 with a 153-run lead in the bag. Miraz remained unbeaten for 32 off 73 balls. Hasan Mahmud contributed with a 76-ball 13.
Starc goes past India legend
Starc got only one wicket on Day 2. On August 13, he had surpassed former Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath to become the leading wicket-taker in Tests among left-arm bowlers. On August 14, he dismissed wicketkeeper Litton Das for a 12-ball duck to surpass former India captain Kapil Dev on the list of leading wicket-takers. Now, Starc is 11th on the list of all-time highest wicket-takers in Tests. During the series, he can surpass former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn as well.