PAK v AUS 2018: Mitchell Starc describes Abu Dhabi green-top as a mirage

Australia are ready for whatever Pakistan throw at them in the final Test, says Starc.

Mitchell Starc managed only wicket in Dubai | Getty Images

Australian pace super head Mitchell Starc doesn’t want to exceed expectations despite learning that there is a well-grassed wicket in Abu Dhabi for the second and final Test against Pakistan.

The grass will be cut off before the match and Starc believes that “it might be completely different on the match day”, therefore, there is no point of getting his hopes high leading up to the final Test at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, starting from October 16.

Starc struggled to pick up wickets on a lifeless pitch in the drawn Dubai Test, managing to pick only one wicket while conceding 108 runs from more than 40 overs, and seeing a green pitch in Abu Dhabi might be exciting and a sigh of relief for the speedstar, but he believes that it is only a mirage. He also said that the Australians are ready for whatever Pakistan throw at them in the final Test here.

Mitchell told cricket.com.au, “It might be completely different tomorrow when they cut the grass off. If we were playing on it today, the fast bowlers would be pretty happy with the covering of grass. A lot of us expect that grass to be gone by tomorrow and probably even less come game day. We're ready for whatever they throw at us and will try to back up from a good fight in that first Test.”

He further added that Australia’s bowlers had studied Pakistan paceman Mohammad Abbas and his field placements - where he pitched his deliveries and the fields, especially when the ball was reversing and hope to use the information in the final Test here.

Starc signed off by saying, “Obviously he’s not very fast but he’s very consistent in where he was putting the ball and challenging our defence all the time. We were pretty good for the most part, we stuck to our plans (but) it’s definitely something we can take out of the way he approached his fast bowling.”

(Inputs: cricket.com.au)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 15 Oct, 2018

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