Aussies need to go back to basics: Starc

In need of victory to keep the Gillette ODI Series alive, Australia look set to unleash their Ashes fast bowling attack for Sunday's third match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have not played together since the fifth Magellan Ashes Test in Sydney due to a combination of rest and illness.

Starc's perfect yorker removes Moeen Ali

Hazlewood was rested for the first ODI in Melbourne before illness ruled him out of Friday's match in Brisbane, while Cummins played at the MCG but was given the second ODI off.

But in what is a must-win match at the SCG, the pair are expected to rejoin Starc on their home turf and attempt to inflict the same damage on England as they did during the Magellan Ashes campaign.

Starc has been the constant in the series to date, which currently stands at 2-0 to the tourists, and the left-armer said he is aiming to play all five matches despite having battled a heel injury in the back half of the summer that saw him miss the Boxing Day Test.

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“I’m alright,” Starc said today. “Still three more ODIs to go and I’m planning to be available for all three.

“So we’ll see how we go and just keep managing things and play it by ear and the medical staff and the selectors will be on the same page.”

Starc has returned figures of 2-71 and 4-59 in two matches this series but admits he hasn’t made the transition from bowling with the red ball to the white ball fast enough.

“I haven’t played too much white ball cricket for a little while with a few injuries,” said Starc.

“It’s taken me a little bit longer than I would have liked with the new ball.

“I’ve been pretty poor if I’m honest with the new ball.

“Leaking a few runs (but) still able to take a few wickets but I think it’s one thing we’ve mentioned as a group is (that) our new ball bowling has been pretty poor of late.

“As a senior player I’ve got to step up. I’ve been OK in the past with the new ball, so it’s getting back to that and fixing things up. They come pretty hard at the top of the order.

“If the two big guys (Hazlewood and Cummins) come back tomorrow it’s important for us to start really well with the ball against a pretty aggressive line-up.”

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Australia have won just one of their past 10 one-day internationals – the worst 10-match span in their ODI history – but Starc says it comes down to each player executing their skills.

“I think we’ve got the right formula, we’ve just got to get that performance together where we’ve been off with the start of our bowling innings, we haven’t put a full batting innings together, he said.

“It’s about doing the basics and the execution right.

“We’ve definitely got the personnel and the talent to do it, just that execution part with this group at the moment.

“We definitely haven’t performed our best with bat or ball.

“We’ve got a chance to do that tomorrow and start to kick things off in this series and now try and win it 3-2.”

Wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who missed Friday's four-wicket loss in Brisbane, had a hit on Saturday and is likely to resume his place in the line-up, with Gabba debutant Alex Carey to make way.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG

Second ODI England won by four wickets at the Gabba

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21