There’s been a fair degree of criticism of Mitchell Starc.
Some was from high-profile detractors like Shane Warne, who hasn’t hidden his dislike of Starc being in the Australian Test side.
Warne isn’t the only one though. There have been many others, both in the mainstream media and on social media. He seems to be this current side’s version of Mitchell Johnson, who was maligned constantly throughout his career.
Is he the worst third wheel to complement two strike bowlers?
In the first Test he was being considered part of a bowling attack to parallel the best for Australia in history, but by the fourth Test he was pilloried as a reason for losing the series. I consider that an over reach, not least because those comparisons surely have to be judged with hindsight.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Starc’s criticisms seem to centre on his lack of penetration, lack of economy, lack of strike power, only removing the tail, not swinging the red ball like he does the white, and not using the yorker often enough.
Recent criticism was that in this just finished Test series against India, he he only took 11 wickets at 40.72, especially as 4-53 came in one innings.
Those other innings therefore only produced one wicket per innings. He struggled at times and the average of 40 is most un-Starc-like, but he did create chances regularly with a number of edges going through and over slips.
At his pace, an edge through or over slips is automatically a four and elevates that average. He appeared to lose rhythm throughout the series – the bane of any bowler – but those fliers through the slips say he was still on or about off stump, just not consistently in the high 140 kilometres-per-hour range, one of his most potent weapons in Tests.
The criticism got me thinking, though. Who shapes up as a potent third wheel to undisputed match-winning bowlers when they invariably take most of the wickets on offer?
Of course the match winners don’t take four or five every innings either, nor ten in a match, but we have some celebrated and respected third wheels who represent the support required for the match winners.
I’ve chosen three respected third wheels to compare Starc against. Match winners Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have had Mitchell Starc to support them, while Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne had Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie as third wheels. Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson had Max Walker. I’ll also throw Nathan Lyon in the mix for comparison too.
| Player | Tests | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike rate | Four wickets | Five wickets | Ten wickets | Wickets per Test | Wickets per innings excluding those taken in four-wicket and five-wicket hauls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | 61 | 255 | 27.57 | 3.35 | 49.3 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 4.18 | 1.51 |
| Brett Lee | 76 | 310 | 30.81 | 3.46 | 53.3 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 4.07 | 1.56 |
| Jason Gillespie | 71 | 259 | 26.13 | 2.85 | 54.9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3.65 | 1.54 |
| Max Walker | 34 | 138 | 27.47 | 2.25 | 73.1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4.05 | 1.56 |
| Nathan Lyon | 100 | 399 | 32.12 | 2.99 | 64.3 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 3.99 | 1.56 |
*WeB: Wickets per innings excluding those taken in four-wicket and five-wicket hauls
So what does all of that mean?
In a Moneyball sense, Starc is an excellent investment. In fact at 4.18 wickets per Test striking every 49.3 balls (second only to Pat Cummins’ 47.1 all time for Australia), he’d be second into my Test team with the ball.
When he doesn’t take a bag, he averages 1.5 – the same number of wickets an innings as all other players compared to. Josh Hazlewood only averages 0.84 wickets an innings when he doesn’t take a bag of four or five.
Pat Cummins is an outright match-winning bowler who averages 4.8 wickets a Test and 1.79 wickets per innings when he doesn’t take a four or five wicket haul. He doesn’t always open the bowling, but is invariably the go-to man to finish.
Cummins, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne are never constantly mentioned as having a large number of wickets in their tally from nine, ten and 11. So why are players like Starc and Johnson criticised as tail mops? Logical use of assets by a captain, surely?
Starc needs to find his rhythm and his propensity to niggles doesn’t help that, but his favourable record above was developed despite those niggles and a revolving door selection in his first dozen Tests.
I can see how the media look for a scapegoat and want a headline, but too often it is Starc and not Lyon. His Test bowling average, strike rate and wickets per Test are elite, yet he’s considered as only effective on certain wickets.
Meanwhile Josh Hazlewood averages 3.8 wickets per Test to Starc’s 4.18, and strikes every 56 balls to Starc’s 49.
So is Mitchell Starc lucky to be still playing Test cricket for Australia? Not as far as I’m concerned. Sometimes the opposition just plays better.
nihal bhat
Guest
starc's test career is done. remember he is already 31 years old. and has had his fair share of injuries. short form only. If we bothered to select some fresh players e.g. Steketee(he destroyed india in the warm up), we would not have lost this series.
Hades
Roar Rookie
Interesting observation. Reckon you are correct. Shami, Philander, Bhubaneswar Kumar et all are medium sized blokes. Maybe the seam position matters as well. Starc relies more on a wobbly seam for some reason.
A lot of out and out express pace bowlers peak in their 20s, guys like Johnson who have freakish purple patches in their early/mid 30s are the exceptions i feel, Starc certainly shouldnt be written off, but now is the time to maybe cast an eye towards the younger guys in preparation for big future tours to places like England and India away. Batsman definitely peak later than bowlers, thats for certain. I actually really like Starc when he is performing well, adds a lot to our attack and can blast batsman out when they are set and the wicket is relatively flat. But he's been really poor for 2 tests, let someone come in and have their chance, as I said like Pattinson who can walk into this side as a direct replacement.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Yes I agree, Jason Gillespie or Brett Lee were not third wheels. They scared batsmen with their pace & bounce. But they were bowling in the same line-up as McGrath & Warnie. I suppose it's a bit like saying that Jane Fonda was just an average type whilst she was standing next to Marilyn Monroe.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Maybe, but niggles and loss of rhythm can create a loss of form. Rhythm can also be affected if your runup needs adjusting due to 3rd umpire calling no balls, which bowlers were getting away with until recently. Any way in the words of a famous batsman - I'm not batting badly, just getting out - Starc was creating chances flying thru slips and having catches dropped, so may not be bowling badly, just not getting numbers in the wicket column.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Well that just it ITI, compare Starcs Test career stats to Dale Steyn and they stand up to scrutiny.. Starc has played 250 Tests, a wicket every 25 runs compared to Steyn 23..at an average of 3.5 compared to Steyn 3.3..thats top drawer.. He hasn't overnight become a poor bowler.. So other factors are at play here which cannot just be put down to loss of form..
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Jamieson does, doesn't he Sarge? I wonder whether it's just a case of environment, rather than physiology, that drives the technique though. As per the exceptional proponents of swing I mentioned above, most are at or not far off the heights of Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood. I recall a period of time when WA produced some good swing bowlers, like Alderman and Ken Macleay. I think they were just a product of their environment; bowling against one of two always dominant and consistent wind forces - the easterly which was truly straight across the wicket, or the seabreeze (the south-westerly) which provided options for bowling across a 45 degree angle to the breeze - either into against against it. Both breezes are typically very strong through summer - 20-30kph+. And it's almost always one or the other in Perth.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
This Jamieson lad seems to swing it ok for a big man. Can't think of too many giant bowlers who were noted swing bowlers
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Maybe Sarge. Perhaps there is an aerodynamic thing happening there; not sure. Richardson’s height is similar to Trent Boult, though Southee, Anderson and Alderman are all around 10cm-15cm taller.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Lack of height and swing. Do shorter bowlers swing it more? Probably is my gut feeling
Jeff
Roar Rookie
It was one of the things that India's wretched run of injuries provided them as a benefit - Australia had not been able to prepare plans weeks before, for a number of India's replacement players.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I think Jhye Richardson is being talked about, it's just there is some uncertainty regarding his full-capacity at FC level right now. Looks like he is very close, if not ready, notwithstanding he still has some limitations throwing from the outfield still. But Richardson has an "X factor" like Starc is considered to have; though I dare say Richardson is more consistent with his swinging both ways and more accurate than Starc. The thing that Richardson really brings is his height; being of shorter stature and a lower release point, he really does bring a point of difference to the taller quicks that have dominated the make-up of the frontline Australian attack in recent times. Richardson has the ability to trap LBWs on Australian decks where the bounce often negates a lot of LBW opportunities from the taller bowlers. It's something for the selectors to seriously think about; bounce is all very well and good if the bowler is good enough to bowl tight and right on the top off off stump to catch the edge - or bowl chin music - then fine, but if the accuracy isn't there re line and the batsman are looking to just leave (ala Pujara - i.e. play with his face, not the face of the bat), the taller quicks can be neutered. On bouncier wickets, Richardson can bring the LBW into play and having this additional option, mixed in with the approach of the taller guys, could provide a really balanced attack in Australia or Australian-like conditions - though I suspect he would be equally valuable on lower-bounce swinging decks too.
Tony H
Roar Pro
The Indian bowlers proved technically FAR superior to their counterparts. They bowled fuller, straighter, to better fields and moved the ball more in the air and off the deck.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Fair point. (Since my post interesting to see England spin bowlers took all 10 wickets.)
Simoc
Guest
I reckon Starc would get picked in every test side in the world. He is a huge potential matchwinner and it didn't work out this time. Maybe he needed a break in one test. It would have been nice to see him fresh in Brisbane. But the fresh new Indian attack outperformed the worn out boys who were running on near empty by the end. I've always thought his detractors are clueless. As an opening bat I found bowlers like Starc a nightmare. Left arm quicks with a searing yorker honing in on middle stump are the pits for a batter. Apart from Mitchell Johnson, I would prefer to face any other bowler.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Not the only one mushi. I got that and I continuously the dominant scorer in my huge partnerships with Bradman.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yeah, bizarre. McDonald won a couple of Shield titles coaching Victoria and I thought he was being brought in to assistant coach position on the back of that success. It's a huge stretch to be bowling coach, though these days history counts for nothing in the backroom, it's all about the approved coaching accreditation. I guess in football there's been plenty of ordinary players who know what needs to happen and can communicate better than a gun who gets tongue tied. David Saker was a dingo ordinary player who had a reasonably successful stint coaching the Aussie bowlers, as did Troy Cooley following up his stint with England.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Could be, like Lyon?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Exactly, as if anyone going out to play any sport for their country wasn't trying!
Jules
Roar Rookie
Why barely anyone here is talking about Jhye Richardson in this context is beyond me... He's clearly good enough and ready, with different skills and style to the others -- and younger! The thing in common between Headingley and Brisbane was Nathan Lyon against a talented attacking batsman. He just doesn't have the confidence or variety to be able to do it like he should on a wearing wicket against good batsmen playing their shots (probably why he's never performed well in short-form either). It's not the quicks' job to do the business on the final day, so doesn't really matter who they are.