Starc hat-trick brightens damp Day 2 of World Cup 2023 warm-up matches
Australia v Netherlands
Toss: Australia opted to bat
Result: Match abandoned due to rain
Thiruvananthapuram finally got to see some warm-up action at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 after yesterday's clash between South Africa and Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain.
Today's action too was truncated by rain, however, with only a 23-over-a-side game possible after a late start.
Having already played three games in India recently and familiar with the conditions, Australia decided to experiment with their batting order by giving their lower order a chance with the bat.
Steve Smith opened the batting with Josh Inglis but the latter's stay at the crease was cut short by a peach of an inswinger from Logan van Beek. Smith, meanwhile, was on the attack and scored a fiery 55 off 42 balls laced with four boundaries and three maximums.
Australia lost Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell in quick succession to the spin of Roelof van der Merwe and Shariz Ahmad respectively. Mitchell Starc came in at No.6 after Smith's dismissal, and gave a good account of himself with an unbeaten 24 off 22 balls. Skipper Pat Cummins at No.7 couldn't do the same.
Cameron Green gave the innings some much-needed impetus as well with a 26-ball 34 as Australia finished at 166/7 in 23 overs.
In reply, Netherlands were blown away by Mitchell Starc's fiery spell that contained a stunning hat-trick. With three almost identical in-swingers, Starc removed three batters for golden ducks. He first trapped Max O'Dowd in front of the stumps before rattling the woodwork of Wesley Barresi and Bas de Leede.
Mitchell Marsh removed Vikramjit Singh soon after and Netherlands never managed to recover from the early loss of wickets. Colin Ackermann and Scott Edwards were the only two batters to get to double-digit scores and saved the Dutch from slipping further.
Just as a result was in sight, the rain returned in the 14th over and the match was abandoned with Netherlands at 84/6.
The Dutch will continue their stay at Thiruvananthapuram as they play their second warm-up game against India on Tuesday, 3 October. Australia head to Hyderabad to take on Pakistan on the same day.
India v England
Result: Match abandoned without a ball being bowled
The warm-up match between India and England in Guwahati was abandoned due to persistent rain. The only action possible was the toss, which Rohit Sharma won and elected to bat.
But just as the players were about to take the field, it started pouring and never relented.
Both teams will be hoping to get some game-time before the World Cup begins in the second round of warm-up matches. England will remain in Guwahati to face Bangladesh on 2 October while India travel to Thiruvananthapuram to face Netherlands.
