Starc to face SG test

Cricket365
February 12, 2017

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc believes that adjusting to the ball used in India could be a big part of the challenge of taking on the number one Test team on their soil.

Starc admitted the quicks will need to go through a period of assessment with the Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) made ball.

The SG like the Duke ball used in England is handmade unlike the red Kookaburra ball used by most Test playing nations, spinners and seamers alike grip the seam well and the ball tends to reverse swing more.

The left-armer said after a practice match at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in Dubai: “It’s been a while since I’ve been over there to play red-ball cricket, it’s been four years.

“It’s a different ball so there are different challenges there to try and get it reversing and to see if it swings when it’s brand new.

“Some little changes in terms of batting plans but a lot of similarities in the fact it’s going to turn a lot against us.”

Starc took just two wickets on his last trip to India but was Australia’s leading wicket-taker on their recent tour of Sri Lanka where he took 24 wickets in three Tests.

When asked if India was similar to Sri Lanka at all Starc replied: “Yeah, a lot of similarities to India.”

One of the chief criticisms of former England Test skipper Alastair Cook’s leadership in their 4-0 loss in India was his lack of nouse with his bowlers something Australia cannot afford to do.

Starc indicated that it was up to skipper Steve Smith to decide how best to use him in India although he did say that he expects to be used in short sharp spells.

He added: “It’s obviously up to Smithy.

“It’s probably a bit different to how we’re used back home.

“It will depend on how the ball is reacting, whether it’s swinging conventionally or reverse.

“I’m sure there’ll be times when we’ll be called upon to bowl a few extra overs in a spell but probably a lot of short spells as well.”