Starc ‘content’ to stay at No.9 despite century near-miss

Sydney: Australian quick Mitchell Starc has said that he is content to stay in the No.9 slot in the batting order despite being the top-scorer in Australia`s first innings in the third Test and coming close to making a century on Saturday.

The left-arm NSW fast bowler was dismissed for 99 shortly before lunch on day three at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, joining 22 other Australians who have made the same score in Tests. Starc, a former wicketkeeper, insisted that he does not perform well as an all-rounder and will not be requesting a move up the order at the expense of current No. 8 Peter Siddle, stating that he did not make any runs when was pushed up the order for the Chennai Test. Stating that he is happy staying behind Siddle, Starc said that the fast bowler is experienced and is a good batsman, adding that the current batch of fast bowlers are also good at batting. Stating that he is working hard to improve his batting, Starc said that as a boy he was a wicketkeeper and is able to score runs if necessary, adding that bowlers put emphasis on their tail scoring runs like they did in the third Test’s innings. However, the fast bowler stated that he is disappointed at not making a century which would have made him the first batsman at No.9 or lower to have scored a Test hundred since Ray Lindwall at the MCG in 1947, and said that he hoped for another chance in the future. Stating that he felt nervous and found it harder to play all the spinners and bowlers while getting to 99, Starc however said that he is happy that he had got that far ahead. Starc, 23, would have had a ton to his name, had he not edged Indian seamer Ishant Sharma to wicketkeeper M.S. Dhoni. He had played and missed outside the off-stump twice in the over; on the third swing he came unstuck. ANI