Starc shines for Aussies in Essex tour match

Sport360 staff 08:34 04/07/2015
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  • On form: Starc.

    Australia failed to make the most of a six-wicket haul from paceman Mitchell Starc as a half-century by captain Michael Clarke kept the tourists propped up on day three of the Ashes warm-up match against Essex at Chelmsford.

    Starc had been somewhat erratic on a first outing in England on Thursday, but produced a late flurry to peg back Essex’s attack before returning yesterday to blitz the tail with three wickets in four overs at the end of the morning session as the hosts were left on 414 at lunch, 148 behind.

    Essex resumed on 299 for three, following a superb century from opener Tom Westley. Captain Ravi Bopara, on 86 overnight, continued into treble figures, his ton coming from 165 balls with 13 boundaries.

    In reply, Clarke – out for a duck in the first innings – produced a composed 77 to steady the tourists, who at one stage were on 76 for four. After their skipper departed, Australia reached 212 for eight, a lead of 360.

    As the battle for places in the first Ashes Test at Cardiff hots up, veteran bowler Ryan Harris remains a major doubt and will undergo further scans on the knee problems which made him a late withdrawal at Chelmsford.

    Clarke expressed his satisfaction with the preparation of both his side and his own form going into next week’s Ashes opener.

    “I’ve got to be delighted with our performances in these two county matches, with Kent last week and here against Essex,” he said.

    “All the batsmen have been getting runs and on a personal level, I am happy with my own form. I worked hard over in the West Indies and I feel good and am moving my feet well. It was nice to spend some time out in the middle.

    “Obviously we are going to have a couple of decisions to make when it comes to picking our Test side because everyone has pressed his case. But that is for the selectors to sort out.”

    He also gave a vote of confidence to spinner Nathan Lyon who had conceded 136 runs in 22 overs without taking a wicket.

    “There has been nothing in the pitch to really help him so far and the boundaries are very short and it is a really fast outfield so you would always expect him to go for runs. But the pitch now has become a little bit two-paced and it’s taking spin so I think you will see a different bowler tomorrow when it will spin a lot more,” he said.

    “I’m happy to find ourselves over 350 ahead going into the final day and we will be pressing as hard as ever for the victory because that was our aim to win both matches ahead of the Test. But it seems unlikely that Ryan Harris will play any part at Cardiff.”

    Bopara, meanwhile, has not given up hopes of resurrecting his Test career despite not having played for England in that form of the game since 2012.

    He said: “I still believe in my ability to get back into the England side. That is my target and hopefully this innings will have been noted by the selectors and is a stepping-stone towards realising that ambition.”

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