Mitchell Starc backs Hilfenhaus to come good in the Adelaide Test – Cricket News Update
Australia’s left-arm fast bowler, Mitchell Starc, has come out in support of his teammate, Ben Hilfenhaus, and said that the right-arm swing bowler has been a valuable asset of the Baggy Greens in recent times.
The Kangaroos’ selectors are currently facing a pleasant headache, as there are a number of budding fast bowlers fighting for places in the Test team. Starc himself is a part of Australia’s Test squad for the on-going series against South Africa but the left-armer was not included in the playing-11 for the Brisbane Test, with Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and James Pattinson getting the nod.
Hilfenhaus picked up a couple of wickets in the visitors’ first innings after conceding 73 runs in 32.4 overs but remained wicket-less in the second innings. The 29-year-old cricketer from Tasmania is under a lot of pressure to retain his place in the side for the second Test, which begins from November 22, at the Adelaide Oval.
Starc however, believes that criticism on Hilfenhaus is not justified as the seamer performed exceptionally well for the Baggy Greens in the previous season. Despite the fact that Starc is fighting for a place in the team, he expressed that Hilfenhaus will deliver the goods in the second match, if selected.
“He was fantastic for Australia last season against India and all of a sudden he's has one game where he hasn't taken five-for and everyone's over him,” said the left-arm fast bowler. “Benny's a class player and a class bowler and if he's picked for the Adelaide Test I'm sure he's going to come out hard and probably take some wickets again.”
South Africa currently possess one of the finest batting line-ups of the modern-day sport in the presence of Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers. It can be extremely difficult for any bowling attack to make inroads in the Proteas’ batting line-up; however, Starc believes that the Aussies have the potential to do so.
He mentioned, “Well we did it last year against India so there's absolutely no reason why we can't do against the South Africans this year.”
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