Starc 'uncomfortable' with the attention, but will 'cherish' his special week

Mitchell Starc termed the Jamaica Test match as an "uncomfortable" one for him. West Indies' batters might well have said, "speak for yourself". Starc was not, of course, referring to when he had the pink ball in hand.

Starc's feelings around the last few days refer to the attention on him for his 100th Test. "Get on with the cricket," he said ahead of the game. He has often spoken about how he will only reflect on landmarks and achievements when he hangs up the bowling boots. In this match, he added plenty to the list: a triple-wicket opening over, his 400th wicket, and the quickest five-wicket haul in a Test innings.

It was as though he was putting together his own highlights package to mark the occasion: inswingers, pads struck, stumps splattered. Only one of his wickets needed the assistance of a fielder. In some ways, it was a bit of a shame Mikyle Louis got his pad in the way of the 400th.

The night before the match, Starc was presented with a couple of signed shirts and a bottle of Jamaican rum to mark his century. But what seemed most special was a video put together with messages from family, friends, former Australia cricketers and players from his AFL team, Greater Western Sydney Giants.

"It's certainly been uncomfortable throughout the week," he said. "I was happy just to have a win and sing the song. It's certainly been a special week to play, to wear the baggy green. It's been one I'll cherish for a long time."

Such was the speed of Australia's victory (or West Indies' disintegration) that supporters were playing on the outfield before it even went dark. While Starc and Scott Boland finished the game in the blink of eye, this was not a collapse under lights. On the first two days of the match, wickets had been hard-earned in the first two sessions. But on the third, the sun hadn't even started setting when Starc claimed three in his first over.

In fact, Australia bowled just nine overs under lights for the game, on the first evening after they made the decision to have a thrash, losing 7 for 68 in the process. They found themselves batting under lights yesterday and were 99 for 6. In the fourth innings, they were preparing to try and hold the game until the lights took hold, hoping 203 runs would be enough to take the game deep if needed.

"[It's] probably a win against the conditions in the fact that we only bowled ten [nine] overs under lights," Starc said. "I think everyone today with the ball was pretty spot on. I don't think anyone thought it was going to happen that quickly. We were talking about almost consolidating the scoreboard until we got closer to that night session.

"It wasn't a plan to drag it out. [But] if things weren't happening straight away, we knew that things would happen quicker in the night session. [It was like] this is what we want to do at the start, but if it doesn't happen straight away, let's just chill out and stop the scoreboard and cash in at night. Didn't need to."

Starc's 6 for 9 took him to 20 wickets at 16.45 in this four-Test stretch, which started with the World Test Championship final. For the second time in ten Tests, following his 6 for 48, also with the pink ball against India last season in Adelaide, he has improved his career-best.

"I felt like my rhythm has been pretty good for a while now," he said. "Even coming into the lead up to Lord's, I felt like everything was clicking into place. It's been nice to have that carry on throughout the series. Today, again, just felt like everything was in sync and got some late swing. I think perhaps the breeze might have helped in the fact that I wasn't under lights."

Starc's six and Boland's hat-trick meant that for just the second time in an innings of significance when he was fit, Pat Cummins wasn't required to bowl. "My favourite part," he joked.

"I think a lot of the chat leading into this week is how resilient you need to be and professional to make it 100 Tests," Cummins said of Starc. "[But] I think that's kind of the Starcy I always remember playing alongside. He can tear a game open by himself really in the matter of a couple of overs. It feels like he can do it in any format, any time."

When day-night Tests were introduced, Starc was a strong voice questioning the wisdom of it. He still believes they need to be scheduled carefully, and that Adelaide is an ideal model, but he can see a place for them - 81 wickets 17.08 no doubt helps.

"It's good for my record," he said with a smile.