Starc's going to keep breaking records: Mitchell Johnson

Former Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson believes that Mitchell Starc will only get better and better in the near future. Starc renounced himself after an 6 months injury break in the Sri Lanka tour where he finished as the best Australia bowler in all three formats.

He ended the series with 24 wickets, the most by any Australian fast-bowler in a three-match Test series. His bowling was the only positive take away from the series in which the visitor were eventually whitewashed by a 3-0 margin. Starc remained at his best in the ODIs as well and later achieved the distinction of being the fastest bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets.

Johnson, it seems, is keeping an eye on his successor and is highly impressed by the way Starc performed in the conditions which were very unhelpful for the fast bowlers. He feels that Starc will become an even bigger dominating force in the future.

“I watched a bit of the Sri Lanka Test series and it was quite disappointing, the boys didn’t bat that well, they all know that,” Johnson told cricket.com.au on Wednesday (September 14) in Perth at a function to mark 50 days until the start of the Commonwealth Bank Test series against South Africa at the WACA ground.

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“But it was really exciting to see Mitchy Starc perform well. I thought he was close when we went over to England for that (2015) Ashes series, and he wasn’t quite there. But he’s shown after his injury he’s really committed to working really hard,” the former pacer added.

The proud mentor

Johnson and Starc have played together. In fact, it won’t be wrong to say that Starc sharpened his skills under his shadow. Johnson, who is now retired, says that he mains in touch with him and said that he was very keen on watching hi bowl at the WACA.

“I’ve kept in touch with him and he was really positive going into that series. To be the leading wicket-taker in Sri Lanka in those conditions was really positive and a good step forward,” the former pacer said.

“He can dominate again. On wickets that will provide bounce with his height, it’s going to be very difficult (to face him). He’s still pretty fresh in Test cricket and he’s only going to get better. He’s going to keep breaking records I think as well. It’s really exciting,” he added.

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“He bowls a fuller ball, he definitely gets the ball up there, and especially on a wicket like the WACA where you can get good bounce, it’s really vital to be up there. He’ll swing the ball when he pitches the ball up,” Johnson said.

One of Starc’s wicket taking delivery is the yorker. He seems to have perfected it brilliantly and can rattle the batsmen with his raw pace his toe-crushing yorkers. This quality differentiates him from his peers. Johnson says it is this quality which will hold significance for the 26-year old New South Wales southpaw. “That yorker he’s got is very dangerous, and he’s always working to improve his game,” he said.

Cautions Australia

Australia next assignment is the three-Test series against South Africa. Australia’s record against the Proteas is not very convincing. They haven’t beaten at home since 2005-06 and have lost their last two meetings at home. On top of it, they look in a good rhythm after having New Zealand at Centurion recently.

Johnson cautioned Australia against underestimating their opponents despite their recent failings, which have seen them slip to number five in the recent International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings. “Coming up against South Africa at the start (of the summer) is really going to test Australia,” Johnson said.

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“South Africa are going through a bit of a change at the moment, but there are a few guys that have come back into really good form. Dale Steyn’s back in form, Morne (Morkel) is floating around there and they’ve got a great batting line-up as always.

“Australia have always competed very hard against them, in same sort of conditions they have back home. They’re used to these sort of conditions,” he concluded.