Fiery Starc fires Ashes warning with hat-trick

Sydney, November 6 

Australia’s pace spearhead Mitchell Starc sent a warning to England’s batsmen with a hat-trick for New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.

The left-armer ripped through the Western Australia tail, first bowling Jason Behrendorf, then trapping David Moody leg before wicket before scattering the stumps of Simon Mackin with consecutive deliveries. Starc finished with 4/56 from 20 overs to go with his career-best haul of 8/73 against South Australia at Adelaide Oval late last month. It capped an impressive domestic match for Australia’s two Test strike bowlers — Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood took 3/13 on the way to figures of 3/24 in Western Australia’s first innings of 176. Starc and Hazlewood are expected to share the new ball in the opening Test. — AFP

Anderson open to England’s vacant vice-captaincy

Pace spearhead James Anderson said he was open to replacing suspended Ben Stokes as England vice-captain for the coming Ashes Test series. Joe Root’s squad left home without their usual deputy skipper who is awaiting the outcome of a police probe. Anderson told reporters assuming the vice-captaincy was “not something I have really thought about to be honest”. But when questioned on whether he would decline if asked to fill the role, he replied: “Of course not, I wouldn’t. Certainly over the past few years I have seen my role in the team as being a leader.”

Want clarity on ‘complicated’ Stokes situation: Strauss

The uncertainty surrounding the fate of suspended all-rounder Ben Stokes is hampering England’s preparations for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, former skipper Andrew Strauss has said. “The situation, in a word, is complicated,” ECB director of cricket Strauss said. “There’s two different potential disciplinary procedures he has to go through, one is the ECB’s internal one and the other is any potential police action. Until we know more from the police, it’s very hard for us to put a timeline on anything. What we all want is clarity on what that situation is and how much cricket he will be missing for England,” the 40-year-old said.