Starc hattrick in Ashes build-up

NEWDELHI: Mitchell Starc warmed up for the upcoming Ashes series in style and issued a warning to England’s batsmen on Monday.the left-arm Australian spearhead took a hattrick for his state side New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield encounter against Western Australia at the Hurstville Oval in Sydney.

Starc, who was rested for the series against India, continued his magnificent form in the domestic circuit. After he removed Jonathan Wells for one run, he wiped out the Western Australian tail.

In the fourth ball of the 67th over, Starc operated from around the wicket and cleaned up Jason Behrendorff with a yorker for 20. With his fifth ball, he trapped David Moody, nephew of former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody leg before for nought. Starc achieved the hattrick when he bowled Simon Mackin with another yorker, finishing with figures of 4/56 in 20 overs.

Rain stopped play after Starc’s hattrick and New South Wales have established a decent lead on the third day of the first-class clash.

Starc, who last played a Test in Bangalore against India in March, has picked up seven wickets in three games for New South Wales. However, in his first firstclass game of the season, the 27-year-old picked a 10-wicket haul, including 8/73 as New South Wales defeated South Australia by six wickets.

The pacer, back after recovering from serious leg injury, had earlier issued a warning to England’s batsmen, saying Australia’s pace attack will make life tough for them, similar to what Mitchell Johnson had done when he took 37 wickets to help Michael Clarke’s Australian team whitewash England 5-0 in 2013-14.

“It’ll be much like that attack did when Johnno took all those wickets, I think we complement each other really well. Throw in Jackson Bird, and Coulter-nile is back bowling really well. We’ve got five really good guys,” Starc had said.