Smith selects ODI spearhead

Steve Smith has nominated left-arm tearaway Mitchell Starc to spearhead Australia’s pace attack for the next five years as the world champions prepare for their first match in five months.

Australia take on Ireland today in Belfast in their first one-day international since winning a fifth Cricket World Cup in March where Starc was named Player of the Tournament.

Starc claimed 22 wickets in the World Cup, including a career best 6-28 against New Zealand in Auckland during the group stage, and capped off the campaign when he bowled Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum with the fifth ball of the final at the MCG.

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After playing all five Tests of the Ashes and the two preceding Tests in the Caribbean this winter, there was doubt whether Starc would play at Stormont with a T20 and five-match ODI series against England to follow.

But Smith said the world No.1 ranked ODI bowler was a certain starter for Thursday’s clash, and will expect the towering quick to take charge of the bowling unit as Australia begin the long road to defending their title at the 2019 World Cup in England.

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Starc and Michael Clarke celebrate the key wicket of Brendon McCullum in the World Cup final // Getty 

“He’s played a lot of cricket, Smith said.

“But he was a revelation for us in the World Cup and he wants to play every game that he’s able to play.

“And he’s going to lead this one-day attack hopefully for the next five years.”

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Starc’s statistics in the 50-over game are staggering.

In 41 matches the 25-year-old has taken 83 wickets at 18.33 – the best average by any bowler with 50 or more ODI scalps.

Starc also owns the best strike rate in one-day cricket (min. 50 wickets), dismissing a batsman every 23.3 deliveries. 

And Starc takes a haul of four wickets or more every 3.7 matches – another record.

With numbers like those it’s easy to see why Smith wants his southpaw speedster to spearhead the ODI attack for at least the next five years, if not longer.