Starc will instil fear during tri-nation series, warns Smith
Brisbane, May 24 (IANS) Australia captain Steve Smith has warned both the West Indies and South Africa that fit-again left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc could prove a handful during next month’s tri-nation series in the Caribbean.
Starc has not played since last November when he picked up a foot injury and was forced to undergo surgery. He subsequently missed the tour of New Zealand and the Twenty20 World Cup but is now back to full fitness and will be part of the squad which departs for the Caribbean shortly, reports CMC.
“It’s nice to have Mitchell Starc back bowling the way he is. He’s looking fresh and bowling at good pace,” Smith said prior to the squad’s departure on Monday.
“Hopefully some of the South African and West Indies batsmen are a little bit scared at the moment.”
The 26-year-old Starc has taken 90 wickets from 46 One-Day Internationals and needs just 10 more in six games to become the fastest-ever to 100 wickets.
Prior to his injury, he was outstanding in last year’s Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, leading all bowlers with 22 wickets at 10 runs apiece.
In the upcoming series, he will lead a strong pace attack that includes the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile and John Hastings.
“It’s exciting to have him back and hopefully he can have some success straight away, or pick up where he left off,” Smith said.
“The set of skills he brings to the game, he knows what he’s doing 100 per cent of the time. He’s that banker … it’s nice to have him back.”
The tri-nations series will run from June 3-26 and will be played the National Stadium in Guyana, Warner Park in St. Kitts and Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Australia open their campaign on June 5 against the West Indies.