Starc: India defeat the turning point for Oz

MITCHELL Starc said the lessons learnt from a defeat by title rivals India were behind champions Australia’s impressive surge to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Aaron Finch’s side had already booked their place in the last four ahead of an 86-run thrashing of New Zealand – the team they beat in the 2015 final – at Lord’s on Saturday.

Austra lia were in trouble at 92-5 a f ter winning t he toss on a used pitch before a stand of 107 between Usman Khawaja (88) and Alex Carey (71) propelled them to a competitive 243-9, for a ll Trent Boult took a last-over hat-trick.

Jason Behrendorff, as he had done in the midweek defeat of England, then struck up front before fellow left-arm quick Starc, the leading bowler at this World Cup, took his tournament tally to 24 wickets with 5-26 as New Zealand slumped to 157 all out.

Australia’s only reverse in eight group matches at this World Cup was a 36-run defeat by India and Starc, the player of the 2015 World Cup, said: “There’s a calmness around the whole group, even when things aren’t happening for us.

“Since India, we’ve taken wickets in the middle regularly. We were all a little off in that India game.

“We didn’t start well today but to scrap to a good score was fantastic for the middle order,” added the 29-year-old.

“I’m stoked to be playing a part in this World Cup.

“Our cha nces a re as good a s a ny tea m, a lways spoke about pea k ing a head of t he tournament.

“We’ve got g uys who a re ready to go at dif ferent stages of t he bowling innings,” said Starc. “Jason has been fantast ic i n t he past t wo i nnings, he’s ta ken his oppor t unit y with both hands.

“We’re finding ways to win. I think a big part of that is our calmness and I think that’s probably led by Finchie [skipper Aaron Finch]. He’s been fantastic as a captain.”

Aft er Saturday’s match, where his haul included the prize wicket of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, Starc admitted: “It was a worn wicket, so we probably had the rub of the conditions bowling second on that.

“It’s a great result today but one win isn’t going to win the World Cup.”

Starc’s return is also the best haul of the tournament.

Australia have a week off until their final group game against South Africa, by which time the wife of David Warner – the tournament’s leading run-scorer – should have given birth to the couple’s third child in Britain.

Starc said: “He packed his bag pretty quick.

“I think he’s out there enjoying the win, and tomorrow [Sunday] he’ll be a dad for the third time.

“Good luck to the Warners and I think when we see him in Manchester, he’ll have his hands full again.”