Mitchell Starc has landed himself on the cusp of a shock ban from bowling for the rest of the third Ashes Test after copping two warnings from the umpire on Saturday for running on the pitch. The Australian bowling star drew the ire of umpire Nitin Menon at the beginning of England’s second innings on day four.
Menon could be seen speaking to Starc about where he was running on the pitch, and hit the Aussie star with two warnings for landing in the ‘protected area’. There’s an imaginary strip up the middle of the wicket where the bowlers aren’t allowed to tread during their follow-through, because it has the potential to break up the surface and create marks for the bowlers to aim at.
Mitchell Starc copped two warnings from the umpire for running on the protected area of the pitch. Image: Getty/Fox Cricket
Starc bowled six overs to begin the innings, but was replaced by Scott Boland after copping his second warning. A third instance of running in the protected zone would see Starc removed from the attack and banned from bowling for the rest of the innings (and match) – a huge hindrance to Australia’s chances of winning the Test.
The situation falls under Law 41 (Unfair Play) of the MCC’s official laws of cricket, which states: “It is unfair for a bowler to enter the protected area in their follow-through without reasonable cause” – such as while trying to field the ball. Batters are also barred from taking their stance in the protected area, or from causing “deliberate or avoidable” damage to it by running on it.
A third infringement would see Mitchell Starc banned from bowling for the rest of the Test. Image: Fox Cricket
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Commentators noted that Starc was bowling from a different end to the one he normally does in Adelaide. “They can’t afford to have him kicked out of the attack for the rest of the match,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Sports. “But it’s not like the warnings are taken away just because you change ends.”
Starc called for the grounds staff to offer some assistance, pointing out the fact he seemed to be landing in a hole that was sending his momentum towards the protected area. “The surface is just starting to break up a little bit,” Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7.
Aussie captain Pat Cummins might be hesitant to go back to Starc considering the ban hanging over his head.
England need to make history to win third Ashes Test
Australia were bowled out for 349 on Saturday, which set England 435 for victory. The tourists’ highest successful run chase in 363, meaning they’ll have to create history to avoid losing the Test and the Ashes altogether.
They lost Ben Duckett for 4 just before lunch, and Marnus Labuschagne took a screamer to dismiss Ollie Pope for 17 after the break. Cummins took both wickets in a superb spell from the Australian skipper.
“An absolute stunner, this,” David Lloyd said on Channel 7 about Labuschagne’s catch. “You could see the wicket coming, it was building up to it. High-class, world-class bowling and the batsman feeling for the ball, beaten outside the off stump.”