Australia may not win the World Cup even if Mitchell Starc gets back to his best but they’ll have zero chance if he keeps dishing up a smorgasbord of pies.
Starc sprayed the ball all over the place in Tuesday’s clash with Afghanistan in Mumbai to continue a worrying form slump as the tournament reaches the business end.
Australia qualified for the semis and a showdown with South Africa with their dramatic three-wicket win over Afghanistan on the back of Glenn Maxwell’s sensational unbeaten double century.
But they will be cannon fodder against the Proteas if Starc continues to waste the new ball and then have little impact in his ensuing spells.
If he had been on his game, there is now way Afghanistan would have been able to rack up a total as high as 291.
The left-armer was poor in his opening three-over foray which went for 19 runs at the Wankhede Stadium and even worse when Pat Cummins brought him back in the 16th over.
After his second over included four extra deliveries due to wide sprayed on both sides of the wicket, Starc was swiftly removed from the attack to be replaced by part-timer Travis Head’s off-breaks.
His last couple of overs in the closing stages were also a buffet of boundary balls with Rashid Khan belting two sixes in the 50th over after Ibrahim Zadran had put him into the crowd in the 48th.
Starc was by far the most expensive bowler with 1-70 from his nine overs and for this World Cup has picked up 10 wickets from eight games at 43.9, leaking 6.55 an over.
He came into this tournament with the reputation of a World Cup specialist after starring roles in Australia’s 2015 triumph in home turf (22 wickets) and their run to the semis four years later in England when he bagged 27 scalps.
But he has not been swinging the new ball much and his accuracy has been well below standard, particularly in the past three outings against New Zealand, England and Afghanistan.
Mitchell Starc. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
The Black Caps blasted him for 89 wicketless runs from just nine overs while he took 2-66 from his 10 against England to again be Australia’s most expensive bowler.
Starc has never been mistaken for a metronome who can be relied upon for line and length.
But when he’s at his best, he operates with the ball fast, full and swinging into leg stump or angling straight across the body of right-handers.
At the moment the white pill is sliding straight down the leg side or sailing well wide of the off stump, rarely forcing the batters to defend.
And his pace is down – he sends the speed gun north of 150km/h when in rhythm but he’s dropping into the 130s too frequently of late.
Like many of Australia’s three-format stars he is coming to the end of a draining 12 months that’s included the T20 World Cup, home summer, India tour, World Test Championship final and the Ashes leading into this tournament.
Starc missed a few Tests with a broken finger at the start of the year, bypassed the IPL yet again to prioritise Australian team duties and skipped the pre-World Cup white-ball tour to South Africa so his workload has not been as hectic as it could have been.
The Australians don’t have a plan B for their bowing attack. Sean Abbott is the back-up seamer in the squad but after not being used in the opening seven group games, they’re not going to bring him into the XI.
If they’d chosen another frontline spinner in the touring party then that could have been an option with Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sharing the new ball.
Starc now only has Saturday’s stoush with Bangladesh in Pune to rediscover his best before the Aussies look to continue their World Cup tradition of tormenting South Africa.
If he again can’t muster the swing or at least some of the control that has made him a devastating white-ball bowler for many years, it will take a lot more than a Maxwell double-ton to get Australia into the World Cup final.
ant
Roar Rookie
It's not an experiment, it's a wake-up call for Carey. I can't see inside the Aussie nets in India but if Carey is hitting them well; sure! put him in :). But if hes still batting terribly in the nets, then why the heck would we send him back out? You're right that Inglis is not batting well, hence I want to call in Philippe (another golf cart accident, anyone?). If only there was this pressure on everyone in the team (incl. The big 3) to perform.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
They can't fly Phillipe or anybody else. The squad is only allowed to be altered under certain circumstances. So it's Carey or Inglis. Inglis has made one good score and one decent score from six matches in this World Cup, averaging 18. His keeping has been okay but not brilliant. Carey has been a gun up until the Bairstow whingeing, so given Inglis's failure from an extended run (batting at number 5, where you have a much better chance of boosting your average than at number 7 where Carey usually plays) the experiment with him should be ceased now.
ant
Roar Rookie
If we recall Carey we’re basically saying “however many bad scores you get thats fine cos there’s no one else around”. There needs to be pressure on Carey to perform! Fly Philippe in. That said, I do hope Carey regains form, but for now there has to be the pressure to actually force him to hunker down and work on his batting. Completey agree re: Starc and Green, tho
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
No claim to fame. He did nothing special...just didn't get out. Fancy thinking that would work. If he bowled well, perhaps there'd be a plaudit or two. That's his role.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Agar isn't in the squad is he? WC rules don't allow countries to change their squad purely for form or tactical.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Cummins has been involved in two century partnerships with the bat though. :happy:
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Why isn't the media talking about Inglis? Surely the experiment with him should be shelved. I know Carey was out of form for a short period, but Carey is a proven performer at this level (his performances in the previous ODI World Cup were good) and must be recalled now for our last game before finals. Starc also needs to go. If we don't have a spinner in the squad worthy of a spot, then let's try Abbott. And I'd rather Green ahead of Stoinis.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Rowdy is a genius!
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
The joke lives on!!
Ashan D
Roar Pro
Starc looks just soft. He looks soft for a big fast bowler which was not the case last two WCs. Does not feel as if he really wants to compete and win. I saw him laughing with opposition players and just being meh when getting hit. Too bad Warney isnt around to give him an earful like before. Someone needs to have a serious word with him.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Shame Ellis isn't in the squad....
jammel
Roar Rookie
Starc to be given a final chance vs the Banglas. Otherwise it is Green for Starc IMO.
ant
Roar Rookie
maybe when DaveyW retires from ODI cricket, Philippe can open and Green can slot in at 5, where Kez/Inglis is currently.
jammel
Roar Rookie
I'd like to see JoshP get more chances internationally in the T20 arena. In the top 3. Phillippe finds it harder batting at 5/6/7 in 50 over cricket I think. He can destroy T20 attacks...not sure how often he'd do the same for long periods in 50 over cricket.
ant
Roar Rookie
You have a point.... but I feel like Philippe would be best. (Carey + Inglis both aren't up to standard)
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
We constantly "rest/manage" players who don't need it. This Bangladesh game is the time to rest Starc. It's a great time for McDonald and Cummins to discover what Green can offer. If they did leave out Starc, though, I'd bet they would go to Abbott.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Haha - Carey hasn't been playing mate. How would he "do anything" while not playing? What would you have had him "do"? My assessment is based on the fact that - over extended periods - and particular in India - Carey is the better wk. Also Carey is potentially a better "finisher"/controlling bat. You could then bring in the power of MMarsh & Green for Stoinis & Marnus.
ant
Roar Rookie
What exactly has Carey done to regain selection? Granted, Inglis has not been batting that well; but is Carey gonna do any better than him? I want Philippe on the next plane to India
Worlds Biggest
Roar Pro
Starc has been a magnificent One Day bowler for a decade. However he has been very poor at this World Cup. Unless he takes a few wickets next game and rediscovers some form he can’t play in the Semi Final. The Proteas will absolutely feast on his pies.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Agreed, we just have to hope he gets some form back, without a backup spinner and Abbott being a question mark. Unless he is so bad that maybe they bring in Abbott and give Stoinis or Green more overs. But Stoinis shouldn’t be considered anymore. Had a hissy fit twice against his own team mates for missed chances off his own bowling that weren’t really chances. Then has missed three easy chances himself, including last night’s crucial miss off Rashid (some might think it was out, but he shouldn’t have been taking it so close to the grass.) Wasn’t just Starc. Cummins was ordinary at the end too, and his captaincy was confused. Giving Maxwell the 47th over?? Making bowlers captains in white ball cricket has even less sense than in Tests. But full marks to Zadran - amazing skill and composure for a guy who has never played proper first class cricket, only 21.