The smile was back and so were the searing yorkers and the intensity. Mitchell Starc warmed up for the World Cup with a hat-trick but rain had the final say as the warm-up match between Australia and Netherlands was abandoned.
Chasing 167 to win in the match reduced to 23 overs, Netherlands recovered from 15 for four to reach 84 for six off 14.2 overs when rain returned to end the contest.
However, all the drama happened in Starc’s first over when he trapped Max O’Dowd in front off his fifth delivery and cleaned up Wesley Barresi for a golden duck. Starc returned to arrow in a yorker to disturb Bas de Leede’s stump to complete his hat-trick and have Netherlands reeling at 12 for three.
Mitchell Marsh, who didn’t bat in the Australian innings, knocked out opener Vikramjit Singh’s stumps to reduce Netherlands to 15 for four in the fourth over. Colin Ackerman (31 not out) fought gamely to give whiff of a chance to Netherlands when rain stopped play.
Earlier, the Australian innings couldn’t hit the full stride as the Dutch bowlers, especially the spinners Roelf Van der Merwe (2/12) and Bas de Leede (2/25), checked the scoring rate with discipline rather than guile.
After makeshift partner Josh Inglis fell cheaply, Alex Carey (28) attacked the Dutch bowling to add 57 runs with Steve Smith, who found his touch belatedly. Smith (55) slog swept the spinners for three sixes to compile his fifty. After Smith’s dismissal, Cameroon Green (34) and Starc (24 n.o.) propped up the innings with late assault.
The scores: Australia 166/7 in 23 overs (Steve Smith 55, Cameroon Green 34) vs Netherlands 84/6 in 14.2 overs (Colin Ackerman 31 n.o., Mitchell Starc 3/18). Match abandoned.
