Starc joins elite club of two in trademark style

It was in trademark Mitchell Starc fashion that he sealed his place among Test cricket's fast bowling greats.

A big inswinger into the pads of right-hander Mikyle Louis amid a scintillating career-best display on day three in Jamaica that saw him claim the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history from just 15 balls.

It was a dismissal witnessed countless times before, and fittingly it saw the destructive left-armer become just the second Australian fast bowler to take 400 Test wickets in the same match he also became the second paceman to reach 100 appearances in the Baggy Green cap.

"That's the 'Starcy' I always remember playing alongside, he can tear a game open by himself, really, in the matter of a couple of overs," said captain and great mate Pat Cummins after Starc's 6-9 demolished West Indies for the second lowest score in Test history.

The 35-year-old joined Glenn McGrath (563 wickets from 124 Tests) as the only Aussie quicks to notch both 100 Tests and 400 wickets, with Louis the fourth scalp in Starc's 16th five-wicket haul of his Test career.

Starc is the eighth fast bowler overall to have played 100 Tests and taken 400 wickets in a list that includes India's great fast-bowling allrounder Kapil Dev.

"For any cricketer to play 100 Test matches for their country is a great achievement, but for a fast bowler who still bowls 145kph it's even more so," McGrath said in a message to Starc posted to social media ahead of his 100th Test.

Starc, who is the most prolific bowler in day-night Tests with 81 wickets, also dismissed John Campbell, Kevlon Anderson and Brandon King in his first over, and later Shai Hope and Jayden Seales to rout West Indies for 27 all out as he became the 18th bowler overall in Test cricket to take 400 career wickets.

Starc is the fourth Australian to pass the milestone after Shane Warne (708), McGrath and Nathan Lyon (562), raising the pink Dukes ball to towards the Australian dressing room to acknowledge his achievement after dismissing Louis lbw with just his 13th ball of the innings.

"It's been humbling to get a lot of messages, and the guys put a little video together with some messages from back home, from family, past Australian greats and even some of the (Greater Western Sydney) Giants boys," Starc reflected post-match.

"It's certainly been uncomfortable throughout the week; I was happy just to have a win and sing the song.

"But it's certainly been a special week to play, to wear the Baggy Green, and one I'll cherish for a long time.

"I've got a chance for a few weeks just to reflect on things and take a breath back home and get ready for the summer."

Starc was the 12th fastest to the 400-wicket mark in terms of matches played, but from balls bowled (19,062) he is the second quickest behind Dale Steyn on 16,334.

Among left-arm fast bowlers to have taken more than 100 wickets, Starc has struck more frequently than any other in Test history, taking a wicket on average once every 47.4 balls bowled, ahead of former teammate Mitchell Johnson who finished his career with strike rate of 51.1.

Starc will also go down as one of the best new-ball strike weapons, dismissing 110 opening batters throughout his career to date, as well as taking the second most wickets in the first over of an innings (23) after England's James Anderson (29).

Starc said taking wickets with the new ball had been part of his role since locking down his place in the Test side from 2015 onwards, and he added four more first-over wickets during Australia's Caribbean tour, including three on Monday.

"I've always been lucky enough to have a bit of air speed, so it was kind of harnessing the rest around that," he said ahead of his 100th Test.

"Early doors, I had the ability to swing the new ball and bowl fast but then didn't have a lot through the period where the ball didn't do anything.

"To grow up in international cricket with two of my closest mates (Josh Hazlewood and Cummins) who are two of the world's best and to learn from them along the way and develop a bit more into my game over the years has certainly helped me in the long run.

"Adapt(ing) to a wobble seam (delivery) and then be able to bowl in different facets of the game and different conditions around the world, it's probably helped me get to as far down the track as I have."

But despite the all the accolades that come with notching 100 Tests, 400 wickets, as well as career-best display where he took three wickets in the first over on his way to the fastest Test five-for of all-time, Starc said his favourite moment came when Alex Carey decided to sing the team song.

"I remember Test wins and being part of taking 20 wickets to win games, that's something that sticks with me more," he said.

"To get to 100 (Tests) … to get to 400 (wickets), there things I can look back on when I'm done.

"But I'm most fond of being part of attacks that can go out there and win games … win series, they're the things I enjoy the most reflecting on."

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

First Test: Australia won by 159 runs

Second Test: Australia won by 133 runs

Third Test: Australia won by 176 runs

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (July 21, 10am AEST)

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (July 23, 10am AEST)

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)

West Indies T20 squad: TBC

Australia's T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa