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Ten wickets in the first two games of the Cricket Australia Tri-Series has reiterated the menacing presence of Mitchell Starc in the one-day side.
After a mixed Test campaign, Starc has been back to his beastly best in coloured clothing, taking two wickets in the first over against England.
Dismissing the in-form Ian Bell lbw first ball was a dream start for Starc, and striking again with his third ball showed the havoc he is capable of enforcing.
This devastating opening performance was backed up by another first-over strike against India, with Starc ripping through their line-up later in the innings to finish with six wickets, while also crushing the tourists’ hopes of reaching 300.
In a crew of younger pacemen than Australian fans are used to seeing in recent summers, Starc has been the clear standout. While much fanfare has been made of Pat Cummins’ return to international cricket, his lack of penetration has been a little underwhelming in the opening two games.
Starc has matched him for pace, while knocking over stumps and opposition momentum with encouraging frequency. His outstanding limited overs form bodes well for Australia’s World Cup hopes. The loping lefty has demonstrated he is capable of leading the attack while his namesake, Mitchell Johnson, takes a breather to rest his shoulder and thicken up his mo for the remainder of the summer.
When the great man does return, he will find Starc not only playing second fiddle, but also potentially upstaging him. If current form is any indicator, the younger Mitchell could well be Australia’s leading wicket taker in the World Cup.
With middle Mitch swinging the ball like a yo-yo in the breeze, while consistently hitting speeds of mid to high 140s, coaches and batsmen of the world will be scrambling to find a solution for Starc’s searing form.
If his current run of demolition jobs continues, I fear for the minnows of the cricketing world set to arrive on our shores in coming weeks for potentially brief World Cup campaigns. Their short stays could be made unhappier if Starc decimates their top orders and rips out their hearts, Mortal Kombat style.
In the summer of the Mitchell, with Marsh also set to return to the side for the World Cup, it is surprising MMM have not put in a belated bid for broadcasting rights. A Mitchell-Mitchell-Mitchell marketing campaign for summer 2015-16 is surely on the cards, particularly if Starc rolls on in his current campaign of destruction.
With the Test side rapidly approaching a period of transition and generational change, Mitchell Starc is doing his chances of leading the Test attack no harm at all with his outstanding Tri- Series performances. If he can continue his current run of dominance, he may well prove to be the most important Mitchell in this year’s World Cup campaign.
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