Mitchell Starc: Man of the Tournament

Starc’s key assets were inswing to the right-hand batsman at pace. Movement in the air, especially late movement, can trouble the best batsmen, and Starc showed plenty of skill in extracting late swing, the ball often finding its way through bat and pad to rattle timber. It was proficiency honed by diligent work in the nets, a lot of focussed planning, and single-minded dedication to achieving the desired results in the middle. The end result was pace coupled with swing, making for a potent combination that Starc married most effectively. That meant he was both penetrative and accurate.

The culmination was a tournament in which batting line-ups were scythed through, Australia were crowned champions for a record fifth time, and Starc was unanimously adjudged the Man of the Tournament.