Ashes | Mitchell Starc adds to frightening series repertoire with unplayable jaffa to dispatch Ben Stokes

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Don Bradman in 1930, Ian Botham in 1981, Shane Warne in 2005 -- certain Ashes take icons to legendary status. Mitchell Starc seems to be enjoying one such chapter in 2025 as he strengthened his case for a third successive player of the match award with a jaffa to clean up Ben Stokes in Adelaide.

Mitchell Starc was ecstatic after dismissing Ben Stokes for 83 on Day 3 of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide

Australia piled up on the advantage they had accrued across the first two days in the third Test of the Ashes at the Adelaide Oval to take themselves within winning distance with an advantage of 350-plus and six wickets still to spare on Day 3 of the encounter. Travis Head led from the front with an unbeaten 142, while Pat Cummins and Scott Boland ended as the bowling leaders from the frist innings with three scalps each. However, it was not all smooth sailing for the hosts. Despite having reduced the English to 168/8 after putting up 371 on the board, the Kangaroos saw Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer add 45 at the end of Day 2 before inflating their stand past a ton in the morning session on Friday. Stokes stood firm in a marathon knock lasting oer five hours while Archer also knuckled down after a few resplendent boundaries the previous day, curing down Australia's first innings advantage after 100. The hosts looked in danger of letting their grip on the game slip and as always, turned to Mitchell Starc to play saviour. Unsurprisingly, the southpaw delivered.

Wielding the second new ball, Starc steamed in to Stokes from over the wicket in the 85th over with the English skipper batting on 83. The left-arm quick hit the trademark Test-match length with utmost precision around the fourth stump line with the ball angling in ever so slightly. Stokes decided to drive the ball on the up and whipped his wrists across the line, only to see the shiny red cherry seam in voraciously and cut him up in half before clanging into the off-stump. The unexpected movement had the veteran kneel over unceremoniously, before hopping a couple of times to let off some frustration followed by a typical bat flip and a string of abuse in a fit of heat.

In stark contrast, Starc was over the moon with the effort and roared away in celebration, knowing he had saved Australia from falling into the all-familiar Stokes version of Murphy's Law where everything that could go in favour of their rival, did.

Bowled!