Super Starc floating towards rare air

Mitchell Starc is on the verge of erasing Glenn McGrath’s name from the World Cup record books, but the man dubbed FLOAT by teammates says the accolades will mean nothing if Australia don't win the trophy.

Former skipper Allan Border said on Sunday that Starc would make Australia's greatest-ever ODI XI after the speedster grabbed the best figures of this year’s tournament – 5-26 off 9.4 overs – to help the defending champions defeat New Zealand by 86 runs at Lord's.

The reigning World Cup player-of-the-tournament now has 24 wickets at 15.54 at this year's event and has at least two more games to pick up the three scalps he needs to pass McGrath's benchmark of 26 from the 2007 edition.

But, when he was asked what it would mean to him to pass the legendary fast bowler, Starc said: "Not much if we don't win the World Cup.

"I'm just stoked to be playing a part in this group and continue to contribute. I'm really proud of the whole bowling group, the way we've executed the last few games. We keep improving as a group.

"It's not just the guys who played today … We're showing what we're capable of on the field."

Starc went wicketless with the new ball against the Black Caps but, for the second game in a row, grabbed the most important wicket of the game to swing the match in his side's favour.

Having all but sealed victory over England on Tuesday with a yorker to Ben Stokes that may be the tournament's most iconic single moment, Starc this time found the outside edge of star batter Kane Williamson just when the Kiwi skipper looked to have wrestled back the momentum.

After looking the goods at 2-97 chasing Australia's 9-244, Williamson's wicket sparked a devastating collapse of 8-60.

"Mitchell Starc is often mentioned among the top bowlers in the world," said Williamson. "In any conditions, he's a wicket-taker and (has) obviously shown that over a long period of time.

"Someone like Mitchell Starc with the ball that he can get reversing is a definite weapon for him, and a really great thing for the Australian side, because at times, wickets through the middle can be a tough thing to come by."

Starc played fewer than half of Australia's ODIs between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, partially due to injury and partially due to him being kept fresh for Test cricket.

But the 29-year-old continually saves his best for the biggest stage, having now taken 46 wickets at just 12.97 in 16 World Cup games.

With his best mate Nathan Lyon earning the nickname of the ‘GOAT’ after becoming Australia's greatest ever Test off-spinner, Starc now goes by FLOAT (Fastest Left-Armer of All-Time) after becoming the quickest bowler to 150 ODI wickets earlier in the tournament.

"He's pretty determined not to get it out there, so if you guys could write FLOAT, that'd be great," a mischievous Lyon told reporters.

"He broke the record and he told me he was the only one who knew at the time. I wasn't playing, and I had to run off the field and had a bit of time to think about it.

"That's when (team physio) Dave Beakley and I came up with it. Hopefully it will stick.

"The way Starcy goes about his business … bowling thunderbolts, it's pretty special. I believe he's the best (ODI) bowler in the world."

It's a belief shared by Ricky Ponting, while his fellow World Cup-winning captain Border went a step further in suggesting Starc is among the greatest one-day players Australia has ever produced.

Border labelled Starc one of the biggest factors in his former side’s turnaround from no-hopers just months ago to now being back to a 50-over force.

"(Starc) had a break from the game with back injuries and different ailments before the tournament but he has got a fantastic rhythm going here and is clocking some serious pace, comfortably over 90mph (145 kph) which is why he is miles ahead of the rest in the leading wicket taker column," Border wrote in a column for the ICC.

"You would have to pick him in your all-time Australia ODI side because of what he does in the big games.

"There are lots of other options out there but in the big games, he stands up.

"He has come to the boil at the perfect time and Australia now look a strong contender to win it, which is unbelievable when you look at how they were struggling six months ago."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

June 20: Australia beat Bangladesh by 48 runs

June 25: Australia beat England by 64 runs

June 29: Australia beat New Zealand by 86 runs

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE