Australia’s World Cup pace talisman Mitchell Starc is more feared than South African strike duo Dale Steyne and Morne Morkel according to George Bailey.
The former Australian shortform captain has largely had to view Starc from the sidelines this World Cup, playing in just the opening clash with England before Michael Clarke came back into the side.
But Bailey very much likes what he sees.
“I would say he’s more feared,” Baily responded when asked whether Starc was starting to be considered in the same league as Steyne and Morkel.
“He’s got some really specific skills at the death that very few guys in the world are able to produce.
“That would be weighing on teams’ minds.”
In a run-laden tournament the left-arm paceman has been keeping batsman more than honest, contributing 12 wickets in Australia’s four completed matches.
His 2-29 on Sunday at the SCG kept Sri Lanka in check while his blistering 6-28 against New Zealand in Auckland almost secured the Australians a miracle win.
Bailey said with the intelligent bowling of James Faulkner and Pat Cummins Australia can keep opposition totals in range.
“Teams have basically been trying to get through to that batting power play, about the 35th over, with as many wickets in hand as they can, and then launch,” he said.
“As a bowling team the best way to negate that is to try and get a team five or six down by the time you get to that 35th over mark and it makes it really hard for the batting team to know when to launch.”
Assuming Australia defeat Scotland at Bellerive Oval on Saturday, they will finish second in Pool A.
That means a knockout March 20 quarter final in Adelaide, against a yet-to-be decided Pool B contender.
Despite Australia’s guaranteed finals berth, Bailey said Saturday’s match against the win-less Scots remains important.
“It is a really big game for us just in terms of really fine tuning our game and getting it in top order before we embark on the finals,” he said.
“The boys will be pretty pumped up to make sure they make a pretty big impression.”
Tasmanian Bailey said he expected big totals on the Bellerive pitch – admitting it’s disappointing that he’d be unlikely to be a part of the action.
“(It’s) frustrating from the fact that you want to be playing, because you’re a cricketer, but more than anything it’s just been exciting to be part of a World Cup on home soil,” he said.
“I’d love to be playing, but also very proud just to be a part of it, whether that is on or off the field.”
After a couple of days’ break, the remainder of the Australian squad arrives in Hobart on Wednesday and are due to start training on Thursday.
