Watch: Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschange, who are expected to line-up alongisde each other in the Test series against India in December, were nearly involved in a Mankad incident during their Sheffield Shield clash on Friday.

Starc, the New South Wales pacer, was steaming in the 49th over over of the first innings, with Labuschagne unbeaten on a 92-ball 39* during a partnership with Jimmy Peirson. Queensland were 127-4, having recently lost Matt Renshaw, and were attempting to revive the innings.

On the fifth ball of the innings – Peirson had already picked two fours that over – Starc ran in, but pulled up from his delivery stride suddenly. The pacer then turned around, looked at Labuschagne, pointed to his bat and the crease, and seemed to suggest that the batsman was backing up. Labuschagne gestured as if to suggest there wasn’t much in it.

On air, the commentators were bemused initially. “Hey, what happened there? He’s actually pointed to Marnus Labuschagne over there, [as if] to say, ‘Hey, don’t back up too much’,” one said. “He’s needing something to get himself fired up a bit.”

After replaying the incident, the commentators thought, “there wasn’t too much there – a few centimetres, and Starcy is not happy with Marnus backing up there.”

However, after the day’s play, the pair threw more light on the incident, with Starc taking a no-nonsense approach to the whole thing. “If I have to keep my foot behind the line, the batters can keep their bat behind the line,” he said. “I have never taken the stumps and appealed for it, but if they are going to keep doing it, I may have to change my approach.

“He [Labuschangne] seemed a bit shocked himself, but if he’s going to keep doing it, I might have to take his stumps.”

Labuschagne simply put it down to heat of battle. “I think we were both just getting the blood going. I was a little bit out of my crease, and we had a chat to each other, then I was pretty much sitting back waiting for the short balls.”

The incident didn’t seem to affect Labuschagne too much. He went on to score a century, and Peirson a 66, as Queensland posted 298.

Watch the Starc Mankad warning to Labuschagne below:

A warning from Mitch Starc to Marnus Labuschagne 🙊 #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/iGGQU7lItP

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 30, 2020