SOS didn’t sit right with Starc

CRICKET: Mitchell Starc has poured cold water on the idea of a one-off return for the Sydney Sixers in Saturday’s Big Bash final.

Fellow fast bowler Sean Abbott yesterday revealed he’d reached out to Starc as speculation swirled team bosses were keen to approach the Test paceman to gauge his interest in donning the magenta for the SCG decider.

But Starc, who hasn’t featured in the BBL since the 2014-15 season, wasn’t comfortable replacing an unlucky bowler in the line-up.

“I actually sent him a message about that once I read it in the news,” Abbott said.

“He pretty much told me it wouldn’t sit right with him to come and play a final in front of the other guys that had been here all year.”

The lanky left-armer has been taking a well-earned break from cricket after a long summer in which he appeared for Australia in all five Tests and three ODIs away in India.

“Mitch is obviously one of the best bowlers in the world across all three forms,” Abbott said.

“He’s deserved to take these few weeks off and then make sure he’s right mentally and physically for the cricket coming up. It’s a very tight schedule and we need him playing his best cricket for his country.”

Although they’ve lost top English all-rounder Tom Curran to international duties, Abbott insisted the Sixers’ attack still had enough firepower to win without Starc.

“I believe we’ve got a great bowling attack anyway, whether we had Mitch there or not,” he said.

The Sixers will host the winner of tomorrow night’s clash between the Stars and Thunder at the MCG.