With one more day remaining for the Sydney Test, South Africa are in deep trouble as they required more than 200 runs to score to recover the first-innings lead with only three wickets in hand during the second session. Temba Bavuma showed some resistance for the visitors and was fighting a lone battle in the second innings. Australian bowlers were impressive throughout the innings but Mitchell Starc made waves with his actions in the morning session.
Starc was bowling the 19th over of the innings and Theunis de Bruyn was leaving the crease early at the non-strikers’ end. The Australian left-arm quick stopped his action midway before delivering the fourth ball of the over and de Bruyn was way ahead of the crease at that moment. The bowler got angry with de Bruyn for trying to take unfair advantage and was seen taking a dig at the batter. He didn’t run out the batter but was heard saying ‘stay in your crease, it’s not that hard’.
The incident spurred a debate around the spirit of cricket and users also got involved in the heated discussion on social media.
Not that hard!
"Stay in your crease, it's not that hard!"
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket)
Part 2 of Starc v de Bruyn 👀
Think of it!
Come to think of it, Starc should’ve had the foresight to follow through on his warnings to de Bruyn
— Will Cuckson (@willcucko)
Starc warned Bruyn
"Stay in your crease, it's not that hard"
— Vishnukumar GD (@ItsGDTweets)
Mitchell Starc warned Theunis de Bruyn not once but twice for not backing up.
But, why Starc didn't run him out?
Knows the Aussies
Starc warns De Bruyn once. But he knows the Aussies won’t run him out THAT way. Let’s say he keeps venturing out as many times as possible! How many times will it take for their highnesses to come down and effect a run out at the non striker’s end?
— Sid Audhinarayanan (@sidaudhi)
Anti mankad
I'm (in)famously anti-mankad but what just went down with Starc and De Bruyn almost made me change my mind
— Charles Goodsir (@charlie_goodsir)
Really weak
De Bruyn really weak mentally. A couple of words from Starc and he's gone
— Action Bailey (@Fathairylazy)
Mind games
Starc warning de Bruyn is as much mind-games when trying to bowl SA completely out as it is actually wanting to mankad him
— Carling Darling (@RallierOfTroops)
Fair game now~
Mitchell Starc has warned de Bruyn twice now about leaving his crease. So to my mind it's fair game now.
— TheBilby (@bilby361)
Too early
And Starc has warned Theunis de Bruyn quite a few times for leaving the non-striker's crease early.
— Arijit Kundu (@_arijitkundu_)
Soon, Boland dismisses him, courtesy of a good catch from at 2nd slip.
Stay in!
“Stay in your crease, it’s not that hard” says Mitchell Starc. Beware of the mankad Theunis de Bruyn. 😬
— Andy Cleave (@CleaveO)
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