SYDNEY: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc will miss Saturday’s final One-Day International against South Africa in Potchefstroom.
The cricketer will return home to Australia on Friday to attend the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup Final in Melbourne where his wife is also playing.
Mitchell’s wife, Alyssa Healy, is a member of the Australia squad that has qualified for the final to face India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday 8 March.
Commenting on the decision to release Mitchell from the squad, Australia Men’s Head Coach Justin Langer said: “It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Mitch to watch Alyssa in a home World Cup Final and so we were happy to allow him to return home to support his wife and be part of a fantastic occasion.
“It is something we have been talking about for a while and, given Mitch has had a considerable workload in all three formats this summer, his heading home a couple of days ahead of the rest of the squad means he will have a chance to refresh ahead of our home and away One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand that will wrap up our season.
“We have plenty of fast bowling options with us here in South Africa with Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson all sitting out our previous match in Bloemfontein, and Mitch’s absence will offer one of them an opportunity to impress in Saturday’s match.”
Australia have lost the first two games of their ODI series in South Africa. Meanwhile, Healy has bounced back from a poor run of scores in the lead up to the World Cup and will be one of the key players for Australia in Sunday’s final.
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