Starc's Fiery Spell: Of breaking bats, dropped catches, and the fastest delivery in Test cricket

AUSTRALIAN SPEEDSTER Mitchell Starc recorded the fastest delivery bowled in Test cricket history, when he clocked a speed of 160.4 kph in a fiery spell of fast bowling on Day 3 of the 2nd Test between Australia and New Zealand.

On a flat, lifeless track at the WACA where batsmen from both sides have been piling misery on the bowlers, Starc produced the fastest spell of his career, and probably the quickest in Test history, cracking the 160kph mark in the fourth ball of his 21st over. But it was the penultimate delivery sent down to Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor that clocked 160.4 kph.

OMG @mstarc56 1️⃣6️⃣0️⃣.4️⃣ serious pace 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

— Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) November 15, 2015

Although recording of bowling speeds in cricket is highly unreliable, this ball could well be the fastest in Test cricket. Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowled at 161.3 kph in an ODI against England in 2003. Prior to Starc, the Aussie pair of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait have both been clocked at 161.1 kph, while legendary pacer Jeff Thomson was recorded at 160.6 kph at this very ground in 1975.

Starc's previous over had seen NZ skipper Brendon McCullum flashing outside off stump at balls approaching at a speed of 155 kph. Edges were flying and catches were being dropped as Starc ran in ball after ball. His final delivery came down to 154.8 kph, and McCullum played down the outswinging yorker. To his surprise, a chunk of wood flew from his bat as a result of the delivery and the WACA crowd was up on their feet already!

The damage caused to McCullum's bat by Starc. #AUSvNZ #WWOS pic.twitter.com/MK06fsUIeU

— Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) November 15, 2015

Despite his ridiculously fast spell, Starc was left without any success as both McCullum and Taylor continued to plunder the opposition.