Mitchell Starc Reveals How Wife, Coach Helped Him A Night Before Cape Town Heroics

Australia seamer Mitchell Starc revealed that he "haven't felt right through" the ongoing South Africa Test series, prompting him to review footage from the Durban Test and compare his bowling action with clips from the Ashes. After analysing the footage with assistant coach James Franklin, head coach Andrew McDonald and his wife, Starc found no significant technical differences, concluding that the issue was more about feel than his bowling action. Starc turned his figures around dramatically in the third Test against South Africa, going from 0 for 62 in 12 overs to finish with 6 for 72 on the opening day.

After taking two wickets with the older ball as Australia employed a bouncer-heavy approach, he dismantled South Africa's lower order with the new ball, claiming four wickets in six deliveries through devastating swing bowling.

"There's been a lot of things that haven't felt right through the series. I had a bit of a look last night with [assistant coach] James Franklin and Ronnie [Andrew McDonald], and also my wife who has watched a lot of cricket," Starc said as per Cricinfo. 

"I just had a bit of a look at some footage from the Test in Durban with some overlay from the Ashes, just seeing if there was anything through the action, which there wasn't really. It was just more a feel thing. I was probably looking too far into it. There wasn't really much difference in the action," he added. 

South Africa had a brilliant start with the bat, but the Aussies turned the tide late in the day, courtesy of Mitchell Starc's brilliance as the left-armer collected his 20th career Test five-for as the hosts were dismissed for 329.

It was a great comeback from the Aussies after South Africa had put on 158 for the first wicket and were even 327/6 late in the day, before Starc's spell provided the visitors with momentum.

Starc finished with figures of 6/72, with the left-armer paying tribute to the problem-solving he produced while the day was unfolding.  

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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