Starc keen to ‘rip in’ against cocky England

CRICKET: Aussie pace spearhead Mitch Starc is ready to send a pre-Ashes warning to the cocky English batsmen when the two teams confront each other in the Champions Trophy on Saturday.

Yesterday morning’s wash-out at The Oval has put Australia on a collision course with an early exit unless it can knock off the hosts, and tournament favourites, at Edgbaston.

Starc rocketed back to form after a lacklustre first-up effort against New Zealand, scorching the Bangladesh tail-end with searing pace and accuracy and rediscovering his pinpoint yorker to take four wickets in just nine balls.

Despite his limited preparation after a long recovery from a fractured foot in March, and the stop-start nature of the tournament, Starc said he felt like his best bowling was almost there, and that England had not been backwards in coming forward about its ambitions, and ability, to win the tournament on home soil.

“For us it’s a must-win game. England have that win on the board and they are pretty comfortable with the way they have been playing their cricket,” Starc said.

“For us it’s to get that win to get through to that next stage ... but also to find some little weak points in some of their players going into the summer as well.

“And our team probably respond to must-win games really well. Guys step up as a group, it brings out the best in us. I think that’s something we can call upon.

“England probably expects to win, and they have talked themselves up in the media, so it’s nice for us to come in, rip in, know we have to play our best cricket going in to the back end of the tournament.”