Starc confident to be fit for opening Proteas Test

Johannesburg [South Africa], Oct.20 (ANI): Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc is confident that he will be fully fit for the opening Test against South Africa in early November, after declaring himself available for selection following a gruesome deep leg wound. Last month, the 26-year-old underwent surgery and received approximately 30 stitches after suffering a deep laceration to his left shin when he collided with training equipment during team's practice session at the Hurstville Oval in Sydney. Now, after five-weeks of rehabilitation, Starc announced that he was available to take the field for New South Wales in their first Sheffield Shield match of the season against Queensland at the Gabba starting on Tuesday. "I'm available for (state) selection. I'll hopefully be on that plane on Monday to Brisbane and get some good bowling in and be back playing and ready to go for that first Test," the pace spearhead was quoted as saying by Sport24. Talking about his injury, Starc said his leg looks much better at the moment. "Since then it's been fine. I've been bowling off the long run at a net session with the NSW boys (on Tuesday) and will bowl at them again today and probably have another session before going over to Brisbane on Monday," said Starc, who was Australia's top performer with 24 wickets in the side's disappointing three-match Test series in Sri Lanka last month. Starc, however, was earlier rested for the side's recently-concluded five-match ODI series against South Africa in order to keep him fresh for the home Test series, which begins from November 3 at the WACA. (ANI)