Maturing Starc happy with continuity and consistency

Mitchell Starc may finally be about to become the dominant Test match bowler he has occasionally threatened to be, having passed 100 wickets amid the fine returns of 5 for 44 on the opening day against Sri Lanka in Galle. Having made his debut in December 2011, only five Tests after Nathan Lyon, Starc is more than halfway to the spinner’s tally of wickets, having played fewer than half the number of matches.

For a long time Starc was a bowler who never played more than one Test in succession – following his first two appearances against New Zealand, he dropped out of the Test XI no fewer than 13 times for reasons of form, team balance, fitness or “informed player management”. Now 26 and free of the ankle spurs that afflicted him for much of that time, Starc is now ready to turn the glimpses he showed in playing 11 consecutive Tests in 2015.

“Physically I think the six-month break I had with my foot and my ankle was really good for me to get some really good time in the gym and build up that strength that I lost probably through the Ashes series and the one-day series there,” he said. “I’ve been really happy with where my body’s at physically leading into the triangular series in the West Indies and this Test series.

“I’m starting to get that consistency back in Test cricket anyway. The first Test here definitely wasn’t the best I’ve bowled, but started to get a bit of rhythm back through there, so I was pretty happy with how they came out today. Josh [Hazlewood] and I really enjoyed bowling with each other in partnerships. He hits a spot and is a genius at doing that, and allowing me to bowl as fast and aggressive …

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