Mitchell Starc prepares to laugh off Ashes banter and get to work

MITCHELL Starc, the man earmarked by Andrew Strauss as a significant threat, is unruffled at the prospect of being taunted during the Ashes series.

ABUSE of Australia players from elements in the stands has become a feature of recent Ashes series in England but Mitchell Starc, the man earmarked by Andrew Strauss as a significant threat, is unruffled at the prospect of being taunted when the first Test gets under way at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

Ricky Ponting was subjected to particular attention as captain in 2005 and 2009 while Mitchell Johnson, Starc's left-arm predecessor in the bowling attack, appeared to be riled by the chants as his game disintegrated when England regained the Ashes four years ago.

Nottinghamshire CCC are retaining their longstanding policy on musical instruments and have blocked Billy Cooper from playing his trumpet at Trent Bridge. But the loss of their most tuneful element will not stop the Barmy Army from breaking into song.

"I have already copped a bit (of abuse) in county cricket," Starc said. "Not to the same degree as in an Ashes series, but there was a bit going on when I played for Yorkshire against Sussex last year and I also played in a Roses game at Headingley.

"I think it adds to the atmosphere, the occasion and the enjoyment of being out there. You can laugh it off. Being out there playing for your country in an Ashes series is a massive occasion so you cannot be disappointed."

Ground authorities face a potentially difficult task in where to draw the line between friendly banter and offensive chanting. At Worcester last week, a senior steward pleaded with a small element watching the end of the game between Worcestershire and Australia to tone down their language.

Cooper, a skilled musician who is playing for Boston Ballet at the London Coliseum this week, has also been barred from playing his instrument at Lord's but plans to be back in action for the last three matches.

Kevin Pietersen described the decision by Nottinghamshire CCC as "absolutely ridiculous" and Matt Prior also voiced disapproval.

Stuart Broad, a Nottinghamshire player, hinted that he may try to take up the matter with his club, but the influence of Pietersen will be limited given that he departed the county side in acrimonious circumstances after the 2004 season, having had a much-publicised falling-out with team-mates the year before.

Australia went through their first practice session at the venue yesterday. Michael Clarke, whose back continues to be managed carefully, took only a small part in fielding drills. He is expected to bat in the nets tonight (AEST) after his hundred against Worcestershire.

Starc admitted that Australia have been working daily on ways to generate reverse swing after England surprised them with the way they discovered unconventional movement so early in the Champions Trophy game at Edgbaston a month ago.

"It is something they did better than we did," he said. "We noticed they bowled a lot of cross-seam balls as soon as they noticed that it did not swing. We will have to keep that in our minds if nothing is happening, go cross-seam and get variation from the pitch with the one that skids through or kicks up. We have been looking at it in the nets."

Alastair Cook is an obvious target given that he has succumbed four times in five Test matches to Trent Boult, the New Zealand left-arm bowler, this year. "It was great to see Boult cause some havoc in the England team and there are some things I can take into the series being a left-armer myself," Starc said.

The Times