Cricket: 'Furious' Mitchell Starc responds to stinging criticism

Mitchell Starc. Photo / Photosport

Mitchell Starc only had to sit in the Aussie dressing room on the first day of the second Test — but his ongoing beef with legend Shane Warne continues to make him one of the most talked about Aussies in Perth.

The star quick came under fire from Warne — who labelled some of his work "atrocious" — Mitchell Johnson and Mark Waugh for his erratic radar in Adelaide, despite finishing with 3/40 in the second innings.

Johnson questioned Starc's body language and Waugh said he didn't believe the left-armer had bowled well for 12 months.

His wife, Aussie star Alyssa Healy, has since twice gone into bat for Starc, pointing out his sustained impressive numbers with the ball in hand.

The fact that the criticism dominated the build-up into the first day at Optus Stadium reportedly stung Starc, who has never forgotten Warne's famous criticism that he was "soft".

It has now been reported that Starc is privateley "furious" about the ongoing comments that have clouded his selection for the rest of the Test series.

"Starc is believed to be furious over the latest bake from Warne, having already been criticised this week by former selector Mark Waugh and pace legend Mitchell Johnson," Fairfax Media's Andrew Wu reported.

The same report claims Starc's fitness was at the centre of a disagreement within the Australian national panel of selectors — Trevor Hohns, Greg Chappell and coach Justin Langer.

Speaking to Fox Cricket's Mark Howard before play, Starc addressed criticism about his performance in the first Test and said he was actually pretty pleased with how the ball came out, bar a few overs with the second new ball in both innings.

"Bar about three overs I was pretty happy," Starc said. "Stuck to my plans, did my role for the team.

"I've worked on my consistency over the last few years and my economy rate was the best its been for three years so that's something I've tried to work on for a few years and it's great to see it come to life in the games.

"Bar three overs, I was a little bit off with the second new ball in the first innings, and the second new one in the second innings.

"Bar three overs I was pretty happy with how the ball came out."

Starc's limited red-ball cricket before the lead-up to the First Test — where he played in Australia's limited overs series against South Africa and had just one Sheffield Shield game under his belt — was heavily criticised by some Aussie commentators.

He was also pulled out of NSW's final Shield clash against Western Australia.

It has now emerged that at least one selector was not happy with Langer's decision to rest Starc up to save him for the long series against India.

Meanwhile, Aussie great Simon Katich on Friday expressed his support for Warne's criticism of Starc.

"Warney's right in a way — his previous 12 first-class games he has been averaging in the 60s with the ball, so there's a little bit going on there," Katich told SEN Radio.

"With the wides and byes that he bowled in Adelaide — and they should have been wides — that sort of stuff indicates that maybe not everything is right with his action.

"I'm sure he's worked hard on it in the last couple of days in between the Tests and he'll want to get out there and fire – particularly with the new ball, because that's where Australia needs to open India up."