Starc stands up to embrace leadership of Aussie attack

Mitchell Starc has had Tests where he took more wickets, bowled faster and swung it more violently, yet in terms of pure leadership Australia's win in Adelaide may be among his finest matches.

Stand-in captain and long-time teammate Steve Smith rated Starc's returns of 4-37 and 2-43 as one of his best bowling performances in some time, singling him out for praise after Australia's 275-run win that came in the final session of day five in Adelaide.

The Aussies had desperately needed Starc at his best after being robbed not only of their Test captain Pat Cummins on match eve, but also being forced to go into the pink-ball Ashes contest without their two leading fast bowlers over the past two-and-a-half years.

Since the start of the 2019 Ashes – a series Starc was deemed surplus to requirements for in all but one Test – Cummins and Josh Hazlewood (who missed the second Test with a side injury) have combined for 128 Test wickets at 20.48.

Australia had not won a Test without at least one of them in the side for more than six years.

"I think that's the best I have seen him bowl for a while," Smith said of Starc, who is now the series' joint leading wicket taker with nine victims at 21.33.

"He summed up the conditions really well, he realised it wasn't swinging and he was just able to hit a really nice line and length, and did it all game.

"I thought he bowled exceptionally well and led the attack really well.

"He's a class bowler, he has been for a long time. His strike-rate is up there with some of the best to play Test cricket around the world. I just really liked the way he went about his business this week.

"He took complete control … taking the ball across the right-handers and bowling well to lefties as well. He did a terrific job and created chances throughout the whole match."

Along with close friend and off-spinner Nathan Lyon, Starc had taken it upon himself to take on a more senior role during the day-night Test as part of a bowling attack featuring a debutant (Michael Neser), a third-gamer (Jhye Richardson) and a sixth-game allrounder (Cameron Green).

When Joe Root and Dawid Malan had wrestled the momentum back in England's favour by batting through a full session to begin day three, Starc and Lyon not only identified how Australia could improve but they then took all but two of the remaining wickets as England lost 8-86.

"It was a bit different for Nath and I," Starc said on Saturday. "We mentioned it in that second session (on day three) – we didn't quite bowl the way we wanted to in that first (session), we let it slip a little on the scoreboard and probably searched for wickets.

"Nath and I took it on ourselves being the two experienced ones in the attack.

"The other three are hugely talented and did a great job as well, but we've obviously played a few (more) Test matches."

Starc's standout effort is a strong statement in the face of considerable criticism of his recent Test performances, with former Test spinner Shane Warne the most vocal of his doubters.

Having been short of his best during last summer's Test series to India, the 31-year-old kept his spot for the Ashes opener at the Gabba earlier this month despite the impressive Richardson breathing down his neck. 

That came after a rough World Cup final when he conceded 0-60 off his four overs in Australia's win over New Zealand, figures that would have looked different had Hazlewood not dropped star batter Kane Williamson off his bowling.

Starc has spent close to a third of the past five-and-a-half months in some form of quarantine, and says he has only found his best bowling rhythm in recent weeks.

Following trips to the Caribbean, Bangladesh and the UAE with the national men's white-ball teams, he also opted for a further two-week stint in September to be with his wife Alyssa Healy, the Australian women's team's wicketkeeper, between tours.

"I got out of four weeks of quarantine and lost my run-up a bit," said Starc.

"It took me a few weeks at the World Cup to find that. I did a lot of work with (Australia bowling coach) Andrew McDonald through the World Cup, through our quarantine back home.

"It's taken a bit of time but I'm glad I've found that rhythm through the first two Tests.

"I haven't tried to change anything really, it's just more about finding that rhythm, and the rhythm of my run up which plays a big part in my air-speed and how I'm balanced at the crease."

Vodafone Men's Ashes

Squads

Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Schedule

First Test: Australia won by nine wickets

Second Test: Australia won by 275 runs

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena