AUS v SA 2022-23: WATCH – “Stay in your crease,” Starc warns Theunis de Bruyn for backing up too far at non-strikers’ end

Starc gave Bruyn a warning to get back in his crease instead of running him out at the non-striker’s end.

Australia continued their dominance over South Africa in the ongoing Test series as they crushed the visitors by an innings and 182 runs at MCG to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The hosts completed the victory in the Boxing Day Test on Thursday (December 29). During the penultimate day’s play, fans witnessed a spicy moment involving Australia pacer Mitchell Starc and Proteas batter Theunis de Bruyn.

During the 9th over of South Africa’s second innings, Starc gave Bruyn a warning to get back in his crease instead of running him out at the non-striker’s end.

Theunis de Bruyn was clearly taking an unfair advantage by backing up too far at the non-strikers’ end.

Starc, who could have knocked off the bails to run the batter out, decided against it. Instead, the left-arm pacer pulled up in his bowling action and told Bruyn to stay in his crease.

However, Starc was left frustrated by Theunis de Bruyn’s act of stealing his ground as the speedster can be heard saying on stump mic, “Stay in your crease, it’s not that hard! The line’s there for a reason, mate.”

Here’s the video:

Coming to the match, South Africa were trailing by a massive 386 runs in the first innings and they got bowled out for 204 in the second essay to lose the match by a huge margin.

For Australia, Nathan Lyon claimed three wickets in the second innings while Scott Boland returned with a couple of scalps.