Ashes 2017: Starc rings warning bell to England with two hat-tricks for NSW

Injury woes for England ahead of the Ashes

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Starc after completing his second hat-trick of the match against Western Australia. Image Source: twitter

Internet Desk: Just ahead of the start of the Ashes, Australian star pacer Mitchell Starc seems is recovering very well from his prolonged injury as he took two hat-tricks in same match to hand a victory to New South Wales over Australia at Hurstville in Sheffield Shield on Tuesday. He took the wickets of Jason Behrendorff and David Moody in the last two deliveries of 15th over and completed his second hat-trick of the match in the very first delivery of the 16th over by taking the wicket of Jon Wells.

The fiery Aussie pacer became the only eighth pacer in the history of first-class cricket and the first in 39 years to achieve this rare feat.

Back on Monday, he cleaned up Jason Behrendorf at first. Soon after that he trapped David Moody plum in-front of the wicket and completed his first hat-trick of the game by scattering the stumps of Simon Mackin with consecutive deliveries.

Starc finished with the match figures of seven for 97 in NSW’s 171-run victory.

He also took a career-best 8-73 for NSW against South Australia under lights at Adelaide Oval and looks in ominous touch ahead of the Test series.

Australia take on England in the first of five Ashes Test matches in Brisbane, starting on November 23.

Australian leg-spinner Jimmy Matthews remains the only player to take two hat-tricks in a Test match after he did it against South Africa in Manchester in 1912.

On the other hand, England want to give its injured pacer Steve Finn a couple of days more to recover before taking a final decision on whether to keep him with the touring team, coach Trevor Bayliss confirmed on Tuesday. England star all-rounder Moeen Ali, will miss the second practice match too against Cricket Australia XI at the Adelaide Oval due to a side strain.