Australia's World Cup hero Starc eyes Test glory

Melbourne, March 30 (IANS) Australia's World Cup hero Mitchell Starc aims to translate his success at the quadrennial tournament into Test cricket as well.

The left-arm fast bowler was declared Player of the Tournament after he finished with 22 wickets at an incredible average of 10.18 and a strike rate of 17.4.

While the 25-year-old is the best 50-over bowler in the world at this point of time, he has yet to have quite the same impact in Test cricket.

"I'd like to push into Test cricket now. But we've got a bit of a break now before any of the Tests. I've still got a lot of work to do with white and red ball," Starc was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Monday.

Starc's overall record in One-Day-Internationals (ODI) is an impressive one. He has 83 wickets in 41 matches at an average of 18.33 and strike rate of 23.3, the best average and strike rate of any bowler in ODI history to have bowled 1000 or more deliveries.

Starc has been in an out of the Australian Test line-up after making his Test debut against New Zealand at Brisbane on December 1, 2011. He has played 15 Test matches and taken 50 wickets.

He played the second and fourth Tests against India this summer, taking seven wickets, and was infamously criticised by Shane Warne for his 'soft' body language during the Gabba Test in Brisbane, reports Cricket Australia (CA), reports cricket.com.au.

But with his confidence and self-belief sky high -- especially after a splendid World Cup performance, Starc's teammates say he is ready to step up in Australia's upcoming Test series against the West Indies and the Ashes that follow in July and August.

"It's incredible to see how well he has bowled in this tournament against the best batsmen in the world," senior all-rounder Shane Watson said of Starc.

"It will be incredible to see him also do that in Test cricket, because that's very close. His confidence changed and he made a couple of adjustments in that Sydney Test match and he bowled beautifully,” Watson said.

Skipper Michael Clarke said: "If he keeps bowling the way he's bowled it doesn't matter what format he plays, he's going to have success."

One man who knows what it's like to be in and out of the Test team during his career is left-armer Mitchell Johnson, who says it's only a matter of time before his fellow left-armer thrives at Test level.

"I know what it was like when I first started, you're trying to find your rhythm and trying to find your place," Johnson said.

"I don't think it's far away. This has definitely given him a lot of confidence … he's really stood up. He was criticised through that Test series last year and he's really stood up. I'm really proud of him," Johnson said.