Rookie fast bowler Mitchell Starc enjoyed his finest day in Test cricket yesterday with the scalps of Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar as Australia tightened their stranglehold in the third Test against India here at the WACA on Saturday.


Mitchell Starc celebrates after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday.
Pic/Getty Images

Starc dismissed Gambhir with a nasty ball that stormed at the batsman, and flew to gully off the left-hander's bat handle. It was perhaps the first sign of the cracks on the strip playing a part.

Later, Starc had Tendulkar trapped leg-before with one that pitched on middle and nipped back. Though Tendulkar was evidently annoyed with Aleem Dar's call, television replays suggested that the right call had been made. Starc revealed the emotion he felt when he nabbed the Indian stalwart. "It was an amazing feeling.
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Any time you get a Test wicket is pretty special, but to get the Little Master is a great feeling. More
importantly, they're (India) four wickets down in the second innings and we are pushing to close that out tomorrow hopefully," the New South Welshman said.

Asked about Tendulkar being unhappy with the decision, Starc replied, "I appealed for it, I thought it was out. I didn't see the Hawk Eye or such thing but with no UDRS (in the series). The decision was out. He's obviously not coming back," he said. On Gambhir's dismissal, Starc said: "I am not sure if it hit the crack. Hopefully, those cracks will widen up tomorrow for us to take those last six wickets."

Starc revealed the tips he received from Pakistan great Wasim Akram, who is in Australia for television commentary. "I had the chance to catch up with him (Wasim) for half an hour in Sydney.

Akram impact
I had the chance to talk to him about was swinging the ball consistently and a bit of wrist position. It was only a brief chat and hopefully I can catch up with him some time soon, because he was a genius at what he did. It's not going to harm me to chat to him. I've been working on my wrist position for a while now, so it's starting to pay off. That consistency to swing the ball is coming in now as well," he said.