Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins in battle for ODI berth in Perth
MITCHELL Starc sent a painful message to captain Aaron Finch that he’s determined to spearhead Australia’s bid to turn around one of the worst losing records in their one-day history.
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MITCHELL Starc sent a painful message to captain Aaron Finch that he’s determined to spearhead Australia’s bid to turn around one of the worst losing records in their one-day history.
Finch was struck on the finger by a Starc thunderbolt on Friday at the WACA, but although the skipper returned from a scan with a clean bill of health, the selectors have an agonising decision to make over whether to rush back the most feared white ball wicket-taker in the world.
Starc is vying to return from a hamstring injury and could be in a head-to-head battle with Pat Cummins for the remaining place in the attack to face South Africa at Perth Stadium on Sunday.
New vice-captain Josh Hazlewood will lead the attack and local boy Nathan Coulter-Nile is in line to play his first ODI in more than 12 months, leaving Starc and Cummins potentially gunning for one place.
In addition to Australia’s horror week off the field, they have remarkably lost 16 of their last 18 one-day internationals, an alarming record to be holding onto so close to next year’s World Cup defence.
Starc’s former World Cup-winning ally Mitchell Johnson declared that despite the pressure on Australia to get a result, he would rest his left-arm protégé and ensure he’s not out of gas by the time the Tests start against India next month and it appears most likely selectors will err on the side of caution and play Cummins.
The 28-year-old pulled up sore in the second Test against Pakistan in the UAE, ruling him out of the T20 series that followed and he’s not long got off a taxing flight from Dubai.
Hitting the skipper isn’t always the smartest way to put your selection case forward, but Starc feels his body is ready after sending down eight overs during centre-wicket practice on Friday.
“He’s here, he’s got his finger still attached,” said Starc.
“I bowled a little bit off a few steps yesterday (and today eight overs). The hammy is feeling pretty good. Preparation has been quick but I got what I needed out of the past couple of days. If it pulls up well tomorrow morning I’ll be available for selection and then it’s up to the selectors I guess.
“Part of the reason for staying on in the UAE (after getting injured) was to get that rehab done under the watchful eye of the medicos on tour there and do some work around strengthening that hamstring and getting it right.
“I bowled a few overs there before the last fixture in the UAE so it’s not my first bowl back today but we’re just being cautious with it. It’s such a big summer ahead and hopefully be on the park for as much as I can.
“You’d have to ask (Finch) how quick it was but it’s been pretty good. I’m still trying to stay pretty smooth. What I was doing over in the UAE – it’s coming along nicely and feels pretty good.”
Finch immediately threw his bat down in agony and ripped his gloves off after being hit by Starc.
He looked like he was ready to continue, but medical staff intervened and took him off the field.
Finch left the WACA with his hand in an ice bucket to go get a scan, but it came back clear.
“I’m good to go on Sunday, I will be fine,” Finch said. “I got hit on it two days in a row, it swelled up and bruised a little bit, it’s just a bit more precautionary.”
Mitchell Johnson admits it might be unwise to push Starc so early in the summer when he is so important to their plans of beating India in the Tests.
“Look it would be nice for him to play. But I think if he’s got that little niggle there, there’s a long summer ahead,” said Johnson.
“He just came back from the UAE where it’s quite hot condition, the wickets are flat. It really did test him. If he wants to get through a summer, he needs to be 100 per cent right.
“I want to see him back to his best. I don’t think he’s too far away.
“But I think they probably need to be smart about his selection. If he’s not 100 per cent, I wouldn’t pick him.
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