Victorian star Scott Boland will be raring to go should he be required during the Border Gavaskar Trophy as champion fast bowler Mitchell Starc declared he was feeling “the best I’ve felt in a while” after a superb return at the MCG this week.
While Australian captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will feature against Victoria in a one-day game at the Junction Oval on Friday, Starc and reserve quick Boland both impressed in the Sheffield Shield clash clinched by the Vics by 141 runs on Wednesday.
Starc, who claimed the wicket of aspiring Test opener Marcus Harris in both innings and finished with 7-116 in his first red-ball game since March, is hopeful he will be fit enough to feature in all five Tests of the series against India beginning in Perth on November 22.
The fast bowling trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins featured in seven Tests last summer against Pakistan and the West Indies in Australia, and also against the Kiwis in New Zealand, and all have made it clear in the past they want to feature whenever fully fit.
Aussie great Brett Lee told Fox Cricket’s podcast The Follow On this week that Australia should do everything in its power to ensure the champions play every Test against India and Starc declared that was the goal after taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings.
“Standing here before a series, it’s hard to say yes or no (but) that’s the goal and it was fantastic from the group to do that last summer,” he said.
“A few four day Tests helped that. (This summer) I can just focus on five (Tests) and not seven. That’s the goal, that’s why you do all the work off the field. I’ll be putting myself in the best position to play all five. If not, we’ve always had a squad mentality.”
New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd said it had been a privilege to watch the manner with which the experienced Australian trio have prepared for the summer ahead. He said Starc was clearly bowling at a level that will trouble India.
“Look, his pace, his rhythm, all of those things that go to engineering the sort of pace he was dealing with, he did change the game once he decided to go short and really sort of change the dynamic of the match,” Shipperd said.
“And (in the) second innings, again, we thought perhaps he’d done enough, but he kept coming. So it’s a good sign for Australia and troubles ahead, perhaps, on the right wicket for India.
“He prepares so well, as well. I’ve been in a fortunate chair to witness our Australian players and how they prepare and get ready for their matches and it’s thoroughly professional. He’s been bowling, very, very well in the nets (and) indeed in this game as well.
“I’d imagine (we will) get the same sort of response from Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood when we see them in the white ball team.”
