WACA pitch better than last year, lot nicer to bowl here than Sri Lanka: Mitchell Starc

Australian fast bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc looked menacing on day one of the opening Test of the three-Test series versus visitors South Africa on Thursday. The track at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Stadium in Perth looked very typical to its nature helping the fast bowlers generate a good amount of bounce and pace. Starc enjoyed the conditions and walked away with a four-wicket haul that helped the hosts to skittle the visitors for an average 242 runs. He was all praise for the track in the post match interview.

“Better than last year. There was a bit in it for bowlers throughout the day. We even saw a couple jump off newish cracks towards the end. At the same time, [it is] a really fast outfield and a nice wicket if batsmen get in. It’s a lot nicer to bowl on than Sri Lanka, that’s for sure. All you’re after is an even contest between bat and ball, and there was something in it [the pitch] throughout the day. If you put the ball in the right areas and made the batsmen play, your catchers were always in the game,” said Starc, reports espncricinfo.com.

“We bowled really well in partnerships for most of the day. There were stages where we bowled a little bit too short or a little bit too full, where they got away and batted well with a couple of partnerships. But to bowl South Africa out for under 250 was a pretty good day for the bowlers,” he added.

The left armer feels that the track will behave in the same way for the rest of the days in the game and also lauded opener David Warner for his attacking knock in the last session which saw Australia finish at in full command at the end of the day.

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“There’ll be enough in it throughout the whole Test match if you’re willing to put the ball in the right area often enough. At the same time, if batsmen get in and want to take the game on, like Davey did tonight, there’s plenty of runs out there. You couldn’t ask for more from the opening day of the summer,” he added.

Injuries have been troubling him for quite a long time now. He missed a significant amount of cricket in the past two years due to fitness related issues. Speaking on his fitness, and if he would be able to hit his full pace while bowling, he said, “I’m still trying to get some of that rhythm and smoothness back,” he said, “but to get through 18-and-a-half overs for the day felt good. My speeds were reading okay as well, so personally I was happy with the role I played.”

Speaking on the Australian fielding on Day 1, he said, “There’s been a little bit made of our fielding,” Starc said, “We always put a lot of work into that, and to hang onto some tough chances from the very first over probably lifted the boys a bit as well. The way he can change the game with his little flourish of runs is where he does so well for us. To be none for 100 with Shaun Marsh building a solid partnership with Davey is fantastic for the team.”