Watch: Mitchell Starc took a hat-trick with the new ball against the Netherlands in Australia’s World Cup warm-up match today (September 30) sending an ominous message of his form ahead of the tournament.
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The match in Thiruvananthapuram was heavily affected by rain and reduced to 23 overs per side. Australia managed 166-7 in their innings, thanks largely to a half-century from Steve Smith opening the innings. With the shortened game, Starc ensured the Netherlands’ chase got off to a nightmare start.
Opening up the bowling as ever, Starc sent down two dots from his first two balls before Vikramjit Singh found the boundary. A single off the fourth ball of his over brought Max O’Dowd on strike. Starc sent down a viciously swinging delivery to O’Dowd, which hooped through the air and nipped back in to rap his front pad. The ball would have crashed into leg stump, and O’Dowd departed for a golden duck.
New to the crease Wesley Barresi had to deal with a similarly unplayable ball first up. Starc again found huge swing and seam movement, pitching the ball on off stump before it cut back in and took out Barresi’s middle peg. He had to wait another over for his hat-trick ball.
Bas de Leede was on strike to face the delivery, and was faced with the best of the lot. Starc sent down a perfect yorker, swinging back in through the air and landing just short of the base of middle stump. His spell left the Netherlands reeling at 12-3.
Starc has 49 wickets at 14.81 in World Cups, and he looks in dangerous form for the upcoming tournament.
Watch: Mitchell Starc takes new-ball hat-trick against Netherlands in World Cup warm-up below
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