MELBOURNE: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc’s finger injury has ruled him out of the third and final Test against South Africa in Sydney but it was not enough to prevent him playing a heroic role in the series-sealing win in Melbourne on Thursday.
The left-armer snapped a tendon in the middle finger of his bowling hand in a fielding mishap on day one at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but bowled a full load in South Africa’s second innings to help the hosts to an innings and 182-run win.
With all-rounder Cameron Green ruled out of bowling after having his index finger broken by an Anrich Nortje delivery, Starc stepped up to help a shorthanded attack dismiss South Africa for 204 on day four.
Unable to straighten his finger and with blood spattered on his Test whites, Starc got the ball rolling for Australia in the morning by trapping Sarel Erwee lbw for 21 with a trademark swinging yorker that crashed into the opener’s front foot.
From there he kept the pressure on, his control barely wavering as the hosts handed South Africa their heaviest defeat in Australia.
Afterward, the 32-year-old remarked that painkillers were a “wonderful thing” and joked that the injury might even have helped him. “I think it’s probably just taken a little bit of the pressure onto the ball from my middle finger, which I think actually helped the seam position,” Starc, who took three wickets for the match and scored 10 not out with the bat, told reporters. “So I might see if they want to leave it … for a bit longer.
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“Obviously with Green’s finger … it would have been a big ask. I’m sure (the team) would have been able to do it with just Scotty (Boland), Pat and Nathan (Lyon).
“Just nice to be able to play a role and then contribute in that second innings.” Green, who took a career-best five-wicket haul in the first innings to help skittle South Africa for 189, will also miss the Sydney Cricket Ground Test, which starts on Jan. 4.
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