Australian bowling great Brett Lee has hit out at critics of left-arm talisman Mitchell Starc.
Spin legend Shane Warne has been by far the loudest of those, and he continued his long-running criticism of Starc when he essentially called for his axing from the Test team ahead of the Ashes series.
“He had a really poor (Twenty20) World Cup. He’s just not bowling well enough,” Warne said publicly before the first Test at the Gabba.
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Now the axing of Starc from the side looks a foolish idea to say the least.
Starc instantly silenced Warne, and others, when he bowled Rory Burns on the very first ball of the Ashes.
He’s taken three wickets in Brisbane, six in Adelaide with the pink ball, and five in Melbourne – including a stunning spell at the end of Day 2 that ultimately ruined England’s chances of victory.
Lee is fed up with the criticism of Starc, who has now played 64 Tests and taken 269 wickets at an average of 27.15.
“For his name to be consistently thrown about like, ‘he should be dropped’ or ‘he shouldn’t be in the team’, I just find it ludicrous,” Lee told Fox Sports.
“Absolutely absurd. He’s always the first to be thrown under the bus.
“You don’t take over 250 Test wickets by fluking it. It’s hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
“He’s been around the team a long time now, he’s an experienced player.
“He’s proven to everyone he’s good enough. So let the guy bowl. Let him enjoy his career and stop throwing his head on the chopping block.”
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