Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc gave a chirpy warning to Sri Lanka's opener Kusal Perera when the latter was found backing up too early at the non-striker's end during the Australia versus Sri Lanka clash on Monday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
The incident happened in the very first over of the game. Starc, who normally takes the new ball for Australia across formats was yet again tasked to do the same after Sri Lanka's skipper Kusal Mendis won the toss and opted to bat first.
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As the left-arm seamer ran in to deliver the fourth delivery of the over, he saw Perera leaving his crease early and hence he pulled out of his delivery stride. The tall pacer gave the Sri Lankan opener a warning to stay inside the crease before the release of the ball.
It wasn't the only time the southpaw was warned by the Aussie pacer. Starc did the same during the fifth over, however, Perera was more cautious this time around and had his bat grounded in the crease throughout. Though Perera had walked out of the crease which triggered such a response from Starc, his willow was grounded and hence the pace bowler didn't have much to say this time around.
One of the most polarising debates in the history of the game - run out at the non-striker's end keeps on making headlines whenever a batter is run out while backing up too far ahead or too early. Most of the bowlers tend to inflict run outs whenever they get the opportunity to do so at the non-striker's end but Starc is one of the very few who refrain from doing so and instead rely on cautioning the batter.
Meanwhile, Australia are desperate for a win in Lucknow and so are Sri Lanka as both teams have already played two games in the tournament and are yet to open their account. While Australia lost their first two matches to India and South Africa, the Lankan Lions went down fighting against the Proteas and Pakistan.
