Starc reality hits Proteas

ROOKIE South African allrounder Wiaan Mulder will join his Test teammates this week armed with a scary message from Aussie firebrand Mitch Starc.

Mulder was named in the squad for this week’s first Test in Durban just before he was sent out to bat in the three-day tour match against Australia in Benoni, which the tourists wrapped up with authority.

Starc was key to that victory taking four second innings wickets while also peppering Mulder with plenty of short stuff, and a few sledges to boot, just to let the youngster know what he and his teammates could be in for when the first Test starts on Thursday.

“We thought we would give him a little taste of what he might have to face if he gets a game through the series,” Starc said with a big grin on his face after the match ended.

“A few of us said they maybe announced their squad a day too early. It was nice to take the handbrake off for a few overs and show them what he might be facing.”

Starc took five wickets for the match, which the Aussies won by scoring 140 off 30 overs in the second innings after rolling the South Africa A batting line-up for 248 the second time around.

Mitch Marsh eventually got the scalp of Mulder for just five off 11 torrid balls at the crease, one of his four wickets for the game, indicating he was back to full bowling fitness.

Pat Cummins, who took three wickets in Benoni, is the only member of Australia’s fast bowling attack to have played Test cricket in South Africa, which he did as a tearaway teenager in 2011. Starc said Cummins would be a big contributor when the players got to Durban.

But having been exposed to better bowling conditions already, Starc was buoyant about what may be on offer for the blistering attack after a long, but successful, summer of toil in Australia.

“For the guys who haven’t been here before it’s nice to get a bit of a gauge on what the conditions might be like. Talking to a few of the guys, the ball probably does a bit more for longer periods than it does back home with the flatter, harder wickets,” he said.