Mitchell Starc is one of the best, if not the best one-day bowler in the world and it has nothing to do with Shane Warne.
Some people are suggesting Warnie’s magical motivational words somehow transformed Starc from an average Test bowler into a World Cup juggernaut.
But of course as most of us know, and as Geoff Lemon recently pointed out, Starc has been a really good ODI bowler for quite sometime. The challenge for him is to try and transfer that one-day form into the Test arena.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why he’s excelled at ODIs and not in the longer version. It could be that he finds the white ball easier to swing, prefers shorter spells or maybe he just hasn’t been given a long enough run in the side.
Whatever the reasons, Mitchell Starc is too good and too talented not to figure it out.
Luckily Australia hasn’t really needed him at Test level in recent times, but the same can’t be said for this World Cup. Other than when they played the minnow nations no Australian bowler – besides Starc – has threatened the opposition during the group stage.
Heading into the knockout phase of the tournament the Aussies can’t afford to be so reliant on one man. At some stage the rest of the bowling unit will need to step up if they want to win back the trophy.
That includes Mitchell Johnson, who just hasn’t looked himself all summer. His pace is well down and he’s lacking that usual venom. Everyone assumed the spell on the sidelines he had prior to the World Cup would freshen him up and return him to the fierce Johnson of last season. So far though, that hasn’t happened.
Nothing in cricket excites me more than watching a menacing Johnson terrorise the opposition batsmen, but all summer long I’ve been pessimistically wondering whether Johnson’s best has passed him by.
I’m certainly not ready to write him off just yet (although I’ve been guilty of that once or twice during his career) but his form is still a bit of a worry.
So far during the World Cup Johnson has looked particularly vulnerable bowling during the opening 10 overs of the innings – otherwise referred to as the bowling power-play.
In his last two starts against meaningful opposition – in bowling power-play situations – his figures are 1-34 off three overs against Sri Lanka and 0-54 in four overs against the Kiwis. This wouldn’t be as much of a concern if Pat Cummins was bowling well during the same power-play, but he’s also been struggling.
Cummins and Johnson are very similar bowlers. It sounds strange considering one’s a left-armer and the other a right-armer, but in reality they are. They both have unique actions, are ultra aggressive and can also leak runs.
Unfortunately I don’t think the Aussies can afford to play both quicks in the same side. Considering Starc is also a very attacking bowler – although economically – surely Josh Hazlewood would be the perfect foil for such aggression?
An opening combination of Starc and Hazlewood with Johnson at first change feels like a better balance. In this scenario there’s still two ultra-aggressive wicket takers in Johnson and Starc, while Hazlewood keeps it tight at his end. James Faulkner can do what he does best and bowl the majority of his overs during the batting power-play and at the death.
While Pat Cummins might be a better bowler at the death, Josh Hazlewood’s control at the start of the innings could prove to be invaluable. Although he lacks the fire-power of Cummins, he’d be a better fit in this particular line-up.
Then again Hazlewood might not even be needed if Mitchell Starc continues to put the team on his back and carries them to World Cup glory.
But if all else fails, the Aussies can always just call up Warnie for some more magical motivational words.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
Md shami's brilliance with the new ball has been a big plus for india.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Starc is a complete standout. He's got an average of less than 10. You can't expect the other bowlers to be the same. The other bowlers haven't been too bad. Anyone can have a bad day where someone can take to you, especially on a ground with 45m boundaries. Against Sri Lanka Johnson had one over that went for all boundaries, it wasn't good, but outside of that one over he only went for around 4rpo. Cummins has only played 2 matches, but has 5 wickets at 16. Johnson has played all 5 and has 9 wickets at 23. Faulkner has only bowled a couple of matches but is also bowling well. In a tournament where par scores are often on the high side of 350, you've got to expect that some of your main bowlers are going to go at around 6 rpo. Not too worried about the Australian attack really. With the top four bowlers Starc, Johnson, Cummins, Faulkner, then Watson, Maxwell and Clarke to back them up, that's a pretty nice bowling lineup. I'd definitely pick Cummins over Hazlewood. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't have had Cummins in my WC squad, mostly because I would want him to have played these last 4 games of Shield cricket and hopefully building up to playing test cricket. He's not been at his best all the time, but I think he's a bigger threat than Hazlewood.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Anything can happen from now on. I'm not counting any chickens.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Why would the knowledge that he might get dropped make him bowl poorly? He is a young quick, he'd be raring to go any chance he got surely?
raz
Guest
Most aussies are already seeing them in the finals.Cant blame them but still sime of the comments here are just seemingly clueless,i doubt they watch any other games otjer than thier teams
The Bush
Roar Guru
I was thinking the same thing, Cummins action is pretty textbook these days...
Kaks
Roar Guru
stats against lesser teams should be taking with a pinch of salt.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
This, Ind's good record and the pressure of chasing (50% chance) makes me thing the Ind Aus semi is much closer than some of the ignorant folks are giving it due for. Aus though are quite adept at chasing and the factor is not huge as it is for say SA, Pak, WI, NZ.
Clark
Guest
Here's a stat. 11 of Boults 55 overs bowled have been Maidens. Brilliant stuff.
Don Freo
Guest
Falling over in a delivery stride is quite a common problem for quicks. If the bowler puts his back foot down on a slightly too oblique an angle, the spikes miss the pitch and the leather on the side of the shoe planes like a ski on snow. Many bowlers have shoe manufacturers add spikes to the outside of that back shoe. Nothing unique about the action, though.
Tony Loedi
Roar Guru
Yeah I think so Don, isn't he the bloke that keeps falling over ?
jameswm
Guest
He's also too like for like with the other Mitch. I think it's hard to fit both of them in the team. Both can be wayward and you can't afford two bowlers like that. He is very good witht he old ball too. I think the main difference is he isn't being attacked, and the batsmen can wait for the one that's a bit loose and punish it. They don't need to waft at ones going away from them outside off stump.
deccas
Guest
I'd add lack of clearly defined role, and the knowledge he is going to get dropped no matter how well he performs. he doesn't use his yorker very much in tests, and looks kind of embarrassed when he bowls people with it in the ODIs. Definitely only bowling 10 overs helps him though, I really hope he can transition this confidence (both self confidence, and the confidence of his team and the selectors into some form in the West Indies.
Ed Lamb
Guest
As others have said it's not a total surprise that Australia's attack isn't performing wonders as it's not the best available or well balanced. Harris hasn't played many ODIs but has an outstanding record. (He's also proved critical to Johnson's success in Tests so even though it's a very different format and they'd be unlikely to open the bowling together, I wonder if there's a link there.) Lyon has also been left out which means there's no specialist spinner. (I can't see them risking Doherty in a big match and that's sensible given his record, but why have him in the squad?) Don't write off Faulkener though - Starc may be doing the job in the first 10 but it may be Faulkener come the last 10 under pressure.
Don Freo
Guest
I'd have picked Dennis Lillee. He is as fit as Harris and as available for selection.
Don Freo
Guest
Are you sure you have the right bowler when you say Cummins has a "unique action"? It is very conventional.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Longer spells, lower percentage of overs bowled with the new ball, physical demands of more overs, no need for batsmen to score quickly at the cost of solid defence. Four reasons why Starc is less impressive in tests.
Brett McKay
Expert
not only that Moa, but the Economy rates from the top bowlers are very good too: Of the 18 players with ten or more wickets, only seven of them have gone for more than 5rpo - in a tournament with 40 innings of 250+! http://stats.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=6537;type=tournament
Brett McKay
Expert
It's nothing like saying that at all. It's a tournament and they're the best-performed bowlers, that's all that's being said, unless of course, you believe that stats against the 'lesser' teams shouldn't count..
jameswm
Guest
Yup - I would have picked Harris. Imagine him coming on at 1st change, or opening with one of the Mitches. He's a wicket taker. He used to play in our ODI team once and just killed it.