Ashes | Twitter reacts as Atkinson gives cheeky Starc reality check with two sixes after Mankad check

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ByGantavya Adukia, SportsCafe Editor

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Only 243 men in cricket history have managed 10 wickets or more in a Test match, and less than 100 have achieved the feat multiple times. Mitchell Starc joined an even more elusive list with his third in Perth on Sunday and threatened a Mankad to go with it, but Gus Atkinson was ready to respond.

Engand set Australia a target of 205 to take the Ashes opener at Perth Stadium after another collapse saw them bowl out for 160 in the second session on Day 2. The team slid from 65/1 to 104/7, leaving the tail with the onus of getting their team to a competitive total on a difficult deck to bat. The presence of Mitchell Starc added several layers of difficulty to the task given the left-arm quick had scalped a career-best seven in the first innings and had already completed 10 for the match by the time the duo walked out to bat. All logic had the match headed in one direction and one direction alone, until cricket reminded us what makes this game so special and intriguing.

Carse and Atkinson were quick to realize their techniques were not good enough to last long in such difficult conditions and decided to swing their bats in true Bazball style with the hope of eking out a few runs. The former began the onslaught with a maximum of Brendan Doggett just four balls into his knock, and added another of Boland soon after as the partnership raced past 30 and prompted Steve Smith to turn to Starc for rescue. The left-arm quick wasted no time in delivering a nasty bumper to Atkinson but the batter was ready for it, as he whipped his wrists hard to get the top-edge off the Kookaburra and send it flying past the ropes for a maximum. Shaken, Starc ran in again but before he delivered, the southpaw abandoned his run-at the crease before shooting a sharp look behind to the backing-up Carse who nerviusly shuffled into the crease, even though the replays showed his bat was inside pretty much the entire team.

Starc paid for his antics immediately after as Atkinson swung for the hills once more upon seeing a bouncer, only for it to connect perfectly on the second-go and send the ball all way for a maximum. Twitterati was enthralled.

Peak cricket 

LOL

Mankad

Full toss

Prime McCullum

Slower one

Scream

Absolute premium content

Too good

Nice

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