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.
The match in Thiruvananthapuram was reduced to 23 overs for both teams due to rain. Australia managed an innings score of 166-7. This was mainly thanks to Steve Smith’s half-century to start the innings. With the match shortened, Starc ensured that the Dutch comeback got off to a nightmare start.
Starc started bowling as usual, hitting two runs off his first two balls before Vikramjit Singh hit the boundary. Max O’Dowd hit a strike on the fourth ball of the over, a single. Stark sent a vicious swinging throw to O’Dowd, who flew through the air and swung to hit the front pitch. The ball hit leg stump and O’Dowd would have gone for a golden duck.
Wesley Baresi, entering the goal area for the first time, also had to deal with an unplayable ball first. Starc again found his incredible swing and seam movement, dropping the ball over the stumps before swinging and hitting Baresi’s center post. He had to wait again for the ball for his hat trick.
Bas de Lied went on strike to deliver and faced the best team of them all. Starc delivered a perfect yorker, which swung back through the air and landed just short of the base of middle stump. Thanks to his performance, the Netherlands defeated her 12-3.
Starc has 49 wickets at 14.81 in the World Cup and looks dangerous for the next tournament.
Watch: Mitchell Starc takes new-ball hat-trick against Netherlands in World Cup warm-up below
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