Sizzling Starc sends timely selection reminder

Mitchell Starc sent a timely reminder to Australia's selectors about just how potent he is on flat, dry wickets on the eve of the Domain Test squad announcement.

With head coach Justin Langer and national selector Trevor Hohns set to name a 12-man squad tomorrow for the first Test of the summer against Pakistan next week in Brisbane, they would have been buoyed watching Starc charge in and cause headaches with a reverse-swinging ball against Western Australia late on the third day at the SCG.

As shadows crept across the outfield, Starc picked up the key wicket of veteran Shaun Marsh with a violent reverse-swinging delivery that beat the left-hander for pace and thudded into his front pad adjacent with the stumps before castling nightwatchman Matthew Kelly from round the wicket.

His spell of 2-5 in three overs backed up his first innings figures of 2-45 and continues his impressive start to the home summer, having captured 10 wickets to win NSW their Shield clash against Tasmania at Drummoyne Oval last month.

Starc appears certain to be named in the Test squad and looks set to go up against Victoria's James Pattinson for the final fast bowling spot in the XI alongside NSW teammates Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

The left-armer played in just one Ashes Test – at Old Trafford where the tourists sealed the urn – as Australia's selectors opted for 'controlling' bowlers suited to English wickets.

But should Australia's venues dish up the dry, benign surfaces that have been on show at Drummoyne and the SCG, Starc has the skill and speed to take wickets other bowlers cannot. 

"He's bowling as fast as he has and his control has been really impressive," Cummins said after play on Wednesday. 

"That Drummoyne game, if he's not in the side, every other game is going to be a draw playing on that wicket, so for him to (take wickets) there showed his class. 

"This (SCG) wicket again, without him in the side you just don't get a couple of those reversing wickets. 

"I think he's brilliant. He's bowled quite a lot of overs the last few weeks, all around Australia – he's looking really good to me."

Starc has worked with NSW bowling coach Andre Adams to change his approach and make slight technical adjustments to his elastic action which appear to be paying dividends.

The 29-year-old remains one of the country's fastest – if not the fastest – bowlers, while he rediscovered swing with the white Kookaburra ball during the Gillette T20 Series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 

Cummins, Test cricket's No.1-ranked bowler, says when Starc performs at this level there are few better pacemen on the planet. 

"Like most bowlers, the more you bowl, the better you bowl and we've seen the last few weeks he's bowled quite a bit and he's bowled beautifully as well,"  Cummins said. 

"Having that form behind you is a huge asset going into a big summer and him at his best is right up there with the best in the world. 

"So all good signs."

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Australia squad: TBC

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

Warm-up match: v Australia A, November 11-13, Perth Stadium (d/n)

Warm-up match: v Cricket Australia XI, November 15-16, WACA Ground

First Test: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)