Mitchell Starc has become the 13th Australian bowler to take 100 wickets in 148 years of Ashes cricket.
Starc’s milestone came in the first session of the First Test in Perth on Friday when the NSW left armer had former England captain Joe Root caught at slip for a duck—his third wicket in a brilliant opening to the 2025-26 series.
Starc joins a select club that includes Glenn McGrath (157 wickets), Hugh Trumble (141), Dennis Lillee (128), Ray Lindwall (114), Nathan Lyon (110) and, of course, Shane Warne who stands alone at number one with a stunning 195 Test wickets against England.
Starc continued to rip through the English batting, ending the first innings with career best Test figures of 7-58.
If he were to maintain his current form throughout the entire Ashes series, he could potentially climb as high as fifth on Australia’s all-time Ashes list.
Australia’s greatest ever off-spinner, Nathan Lyon, could go even better—currently sitting just 18 wickets behind fourth placed Dennis Lillee.
England’s all-time most successful Ashes wicket-taker is the retired Stuart Broad who took 153 wickets in 40 matches.
Most wickets for Australia in Ashes history
- Shane Warne - 195 wickets in 36 matches
- Glenn McGrath - 157 wickets in 30 matches
- Hugh Trumble - 141 wickets in 31 matches
- Dennis Lillee - 128 wickets in 24 matches
- Monty Noble - 115 wickets in 39 matches
- Ray Lindwall - 114 wickets in 29 matches
- Nathan Lyon - 110 wickets in 31 matches*
- Clarrie Grimmett - 106 wickets in 22 matches
- Mitchell Starc - 104 wickets in 23 matches*
- Bill O'Reilly - 102 wickets in 19 matches
- George Giffen - 101 wickets in 26 matches
- Charlie Turner - 101 wickets in 17 matches
- Terry Alderman - 100 wickets in 17 matches