Mitchell Starc Endures Nightmare Over as Liam Livingstone Shatters Records

In a dramatic turn of events during the fourth ODI between Australia and England, Mitchell Starc, one of the world's top pacers, found himself on the receiving end of a blistering assault by England's Liam Livingstone. The match, played at Lord's, saw Livingstone unleash his big-hitting prowess in the final over, taking 28 runs off Starc's bowling.

Livingstone's onslaught began with a missed yorker that was effortlessly dispatched over long-on for a six. Despite a brief recovery with a well-directed bouncer, Starc was unable to contain the English batter. Livingstone followed up with three more massive sixes and capped off the over with a boundary, making it the most expensive over ever bowled at Lord's in ODI history.

Record-Breaking Performance

This performance not only sealed a blistering half-century for Livingstone in just 25 balls—the fastest ODI half-century ever recorded at Lord's—but also handed Starc the unwanted record for the most expensive over by an Australian bowler in ODIs. The previous record of 26 runs in an over was shared by several Australian bowlers, including Simon Davis, Craig McDermott, Xavier Doherty, Adam Zampa, and Cameron Green.

Livingstone's innings included seven sixes and three boundaries, setting the record for the most sixes hit in a single ODI innings at Lord's. His explosive batting helped England achieve their highest-ever ODI score against Australia at the venue, with a total of 312 runs despite the match being shortened to 39 overs per side due to rain.

Match Outcome and Controversy

The match ended in a crushing defeat for Australia, who were bowled out for just 126 runs in 24.4 overs. The victory gave England a commanding 186-run win and tied the five-match series 2-2. The game was also marred by a contentious catch incident involving Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, which sparked boos from the crowd and references to past sportsmanship controversies between the two teams.

Additionally, the match saw Cameron Green's participation in the upcoming Australian summer uncertain due to a back injury. Green, who has a history of back fractures, did not participate in the fourth ODI and has returned to Perth for evaluation.

Mitchell Starc's Career and Recent Form

Despite this setback, Mitchell Starc remains one of the key players for Australia, known for his devastating pace and accuracy. He has been a crucial figure in Australia's Test and ODI successes, including being named Player of the Tournament in the 2015 World Cup. Starc has also hinted at potentially leaving ODIs to focus more on franchise cricket, reflecting his evolving career priorities.