Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc was involved in a tense exchange with Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the second day of the first Test in Darwin on Friday. The incident occurred after Starc objected to Mehidy running through the protected area of the pitch during his follow-through.
The incident took place in the 103rd over of Bangladesh’s first innings. Mehidy pushed a wide delivery towards point and immediately set off for a single. While completing the run, the Bangladesh batter ran through the central protected section of the pitch.
Starc quickly confronted Mehidy and expressed his frustration. His comments were picked up by the stump microphone, with the Australian pacer telling the all-rounder to stay away from his follow-through area.
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Mehidy appeared to explain that he had been focused on the ball and had not noticed Starc in his path. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena then intervened to prevent the situation from escalating and appeared to warn the Bangladesh batter about running on the protected area.
Under the Laws of Cricket, a batter can be warned if they deliberately or avoidably cause damage to the protected area of the pitch. A second offence after a first-and-final warning can lead to the dismissal of the batter’s scoring opportunity, along with five penalty runs being awarded to the fielding team.
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However, no penalty was imposed in this instance, and Mehidy’s single remained intact. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was part of the commentary team, felt there was no clear evidence that Mehidy had deliberately damaged the pitch. Ponting suggested the batter was concentrating on the ball and only realised where he had run after looking up.
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Starc’s frustration may also have been influenced by Australia’s difficult position in the Test. Bangladesh reached 351/6 at stumps, securing a substantial 153-run lead.
Starc was one of Australia’s busiest bowlers on the second day, delivering 21 overs and claiming two wickets for 68 runs. The performance also saw him move past India legend Kapil Dev to become the 11th-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.
