Starc Shines with 77 as Australia Takes Big Lead at Gabba

Mitchell Starc delivered an outstanding all-round performance on Saturday, adding another highlight to his impressive Ashes series. The Australian fast bowler surprised England with the bat by scoring 77 runs, his highest Test score since 2016. Thanks to his effort, Australia reached a total of 511 in their first innings, giving the home team a strong 177-run lead over England’s 334 in the day-night Test at the Gabba.

This innings also made history, as all 11 Australian players reached double figures, something that has happened only three times in almost 150 years of Test cricket. Alongside Starc’s knock, several teammates also contributed well, including Jake Weatherald with 72, Marnus Labuschagne with 65, Steve Smith with 61, and Alex Carey with 63. Their combined effort helped Australia maintain control throughout Day 3.

England began their second innings under fading light and tough conditions. Although Starc could not take a wicket in the opening over for the first time this series, England still faced a challenging start. By the middle session break, England reached 45 without loss, with Zak Crawley on 26 and Ben Duckett on 13. Starc remains the leading bowler in the series with 16 wickets, including a 10-wicket haul in the first Test at Perth.

Australia focused on long, patient batting on Day 3 to wear down England. They added 133 more runs for the last four wickets after starting the day at 378-6. Starc arrived at the crease early in the session and played a crucial role, building a 75-run partnership with Scott Boland—a new Gabba record for the ninth wicket.

England’s bowlers struggled throughout the day, with Brydon Carse giving away 152 runs for his four wickets, while Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson also faced heavy workloads. Starc continued to attack, hitting powerful drives and becoming Australia’s top scorer before eventually getting caught in the deep while on 77.

Starc’s performance further strengthened Australia’s position in the match and highlighted his growing impact in the Ashes series, showing his value both as a bowler and a lower-order batter. His knock also marked his best Test score against England, proving once again how dangerous he can be in pressure situations.