Starting to get the consistency back: Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc, who claimed a five-wicket haul in just his second Test after a six-month injury layoff, is content with his steady progress and feels he is slowly finding his rhythm back.


With figures of 5 for 44, Starc crossed the 100-wicket barrier on Thursday (August 4) on the first day of the second Test against the hosts Sri Lanka at Galle.
 
"Physically I think the six-month break I had with my foot and my ankle was really good for me to get some really good time in the gym and build up that strength that I lost probably through the Ashes series and the one-day series there," Starc said at the end of play on Day 1.
 
"I've been really happy with where my body's at physically leading into the triangular series in the West Indies and this Test series. I'm starting to get that consistency back in Test cricket anyway. The first Test here definitely wasn't the best I've bowled, but started to get a bit of rhythm back through there, so I was pretty happy with how they came out today.
 
Starc also heaped praise on his new-ball partner, Josh Hazlewood, for holding one end up, allowing Starc to bowl at this aggressive best. "Josh and I really enjoyed bowling with each other in partnerships. He hits a spot and is a genius at doing that, and allowing me to bowl as fast and aggressive as I can from the other end. We work really well together there, so it's nice to be back and hopefully be around for a lot longer than I have in the past."
 
Starc posed a constant threat for the hosts with the new ball, and later tested them with some sharp reverse swing. "For me it didn't swing too much in the first Test but did enough to create a few chances. Today, I was finding a different way to take wickets and get the ball reversing. There'll be days where it swings a lot more and other days where it doesn't, but Joshy bowled pretty well with the swinging ball early and then with the reversing ball.
 
"Josh started getting a bit of reverse, so we talked about if we could hit that rough side a little bit more we might get more reverse and obviously it did. Josh bowled really well, I was lucky to get a bit of movement, and (Mitchell) Mitchy Marsh bowled pretty well with the reversing ball as well, so I think we did that a lot better this game, and looked after the rough side of the ball better than the first Test."
 
Starc admitted working in the nets with Allan Donald, Australia's interim bowling coach, specifically on the delivery that got him Kusal Mendis's wicket - an away swinger to a right-handed batsman from over the stumps. "With AD I've been working pretty much on that delivery that got Mendis out with that reversing ball," Starc said.
 
"Pretty pleased that's come off and something I've worked on with him since being in Colombo and obviously the last couple of weeks as well. AD's been great, we've all got a lot out of him so far and hopefully that continues for the rest of this Test and the third as well." he concluded.