Mitchell Starc the best death-overs bowler in the world: Australia coach Justin Langer

By IANS

BRIDGETOWN: Australian cricket team coach Justin Langer said a day after his team’s victory against the West Indies in the One-day International series that pace spearhead Mitchell Starc was the best death-overs bowler in the world and that he was a “great asset to the team”.

Australia defeated the West Indies 2-1 in the ODI series after losing the T20I series 1-4.

Starc took 11 wickets at 10.63 across the three matches.

“I think Mitchell Starc is the best white ball bowler in the world,” Langer said before the team’s departure for Bangladesh to play a limited-overs series.

“He bowls up front, swings the ball. He is the best bowler at the death in the world. He is great to have in our team. The combination with him and Josh Hazlewood is a real plus for us,” Langer was quoted as saying on the ICC website.

Starc, who had a five-wicket haul in the opening ODI, has played only 99 ODIs so far and has taken 195 wickets at 22.45 in the format. He could set the record for the fewest matches to the 200-wicket mark, with Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq’s 104-game target firmly in his sights.

Langer said that he knew the T20I series against the West Indies was going to be tough as some of the key Australian players such as Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins, and Glenn Maxwell were missing from the tour, while skipper Aaron Finch suffered a knee injury during the series.

“I knew the T20s were going to be tough, particularly against the West Indies who are as good anyone in the world in T20 cricket,” Langer said.

“It was disappointing to lose that series but a lot came out of it for us in our build-up to the World Cup. To win this one-day series is a great reward for all the hard work the boys have been doing and it is nice to see them being rewarded for that and some smiles on their faces yesterday.

“It’s a great indication of the depth of talent we have got in Australian cricket. We have got so much talent. One of the hard things as a selector is trying to fit them all into XI places. Really proud of the way the guys have fought through this whole series.”