Even off a short run-up in the synthetic nets adjacent to the Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia's lethal left-armer Mitchell Starc can be mightily intimidating.

I can now personally vouch for that, having had the opportunity to pad up against the man who's known to tear shreds off opposition batsmen with pace and bounce.

As part of a Cricket Australia promotion, members of the media were invited to "experience" what it's like being at the end of a Mitchell Starc delivery.

It's simply fear that engulfs you when you're the lone figure at the other end, watching the 1.97m frame of Starc amble in, lips pursed, with a real, hard cricket ball in hand.

Raw fear. The type that causes the adrenaline to kick up and the pupils to widen.

The first ball I faced was delivered effortlessly by Starc. Seam bolt upright, as the red leather flew towards me.

Not all of Patrick Galloway's shots demonstrated this kind of technical confidence against Mitchell Starc. ( ABC News: Taryn Southcombe )

It was so perfect it was mesmerising, until it dipped, swung and slapped into my left thigh.

"Beaten by the pace", might be the term Jim Maxwell would use.

"Missing leg", I jokingly exclaimed as I bent over to grab the ball at the back of the net, trying to blink a few times to get used to the lighting and let the stinging sensation of leather on skin settle.

The journalist in me tosses the ball back in Mitchell's direction and jokingly encourages him.

"Don't hold back."

A dangerous ploy, especially considering Starc bore witness to me signing a personal injury waiver form at the other end of the nets only a few minutes prior.

Starc smiles and nods approvingly.

"150?" he replies, referencing the speed which he regularly clocks during competitive spells.

"Sure, Just, don't kill me," I respond.

Mitchell Starc has been named in the New South Wales Shield squad to play South Australia from Friday. ( AAP: Julian Smith )

I watch on as Starc turns and walks back to his mark, casually tossing the ball in his left hand. It was the walk of a man who at that brief moment had my life entirely in his hands.

Loading

He turned, looked down, and brought the ball close to his hip to start the short run to the crease. I tried to focus on the ball, not thoughts of how precious life can be.

Starc jogged in and released a wicked delivery from above.

As I tensed up I realised he'd cheekily dug one in short. I leant back and watched the ball whiz past, and felt relief after hearing the ball fling into the netting behind me.

Mitchell's probably taken that approach before to dangerously over-confident members of the cricket community. Imagine when you really upset him.

Over to you, England.