Mitchell Starc, the Australian pacer, has a knack for causing mayhem with the ball in his hands. This time, however, he used his bat to mount a rear-guard defense and rescue Australia from a difficult spot during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's Cricket Ground. By assisting Australia in setting South Africa a 282-run target, the left-handed batsman finished not out on 58 off 136 deliveries.

After taking a 74-run lead in the first inning, Australia was staring down the barrel and risking giving South Africa a chance to get back into the game when Starc came out to bat at 73/7. But on Day 2, the southpaw, together with Alex Carey, added 61 runs for the eighth wicket, saving the defending WTC champions.

Starc and Nathan Lyon walked out to bat on Day 3. The latter escaped at a low cost. However, Josh Hazlewood, the batter at No. 11, joined Starc in playing just the right amount of aggression and caution. Starc recorded his 11th half-century in Test matches during this innings.

Starc currently holds the record for the most centuries scored by a batsman batting at number nine or lower. He has scored eight half-centuries while batting at ninth place or below. Starc is ahead of players like Tim Southee, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, Daniel Vettori, Michael Holding, and Kiran More.

He is also now only the second batsman, after Stuart Broad, to score five 50 or more runs from number nine or lower in Tests in a single nation (England).

Starc faced more balls than any other batsman in the current WTC final at Lord's Cricket Ground during his second innings.

The collaboration between Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood

In the second innings of the WTC final against South Africa, Starc and Hazlewood added 59 runs for the last wicket. In all three formats of the game, this is now the highest tenth-wicket collaboration in any ICC Men's Final.

In the end, Australia was dismiss for 207 during their second innings. Starc's unbeaten 58 made him the leading scorer. Kagiso Rabada took four wickets for South Africa in the second innings of the WTC final, finishing with nine wickets overall.

Having been dismissed for 138 in their first innings, South Africa must now perform exceptionally well to capture their first WTC title and end the ICC trophy drought.

In Tests so far, the Proteas have successfully chased down 250 or more runs five times. They can be assured by the knowledge that three of these pursuits have taken place against Australia.

Earlier, at the WACA in Perth, Australia, South Africa had successfully chased down 414 runs.

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