Ashes 2019: Mitchell Starc impresses as Australia beat Derbyshire in tour match

Tour match, The Pattonair County Ground, Derby (day three of three):
Derbyshire: 172 & 112-9 (all out): Du Plooy 37, Starc 4-39
Australia: 338-5 dec: M Marsh 74, Khawaja 72, Harris 64
Australia won by an innings and 54 runs
Scorecard

Mitchell Starc again impressed on the final day as Australia beat Derbyshire by an innings and 54 runs at Derby.

The left-arm fast bowler took 4-39 as Derbyshire were all out for 112, with Tony Palladino absent injured.

Starc, who has 211 wickets in 51 Tests but is yet to feature in the Ashes so far this summer, finished with seven wickets in the three-day match.

Australia now face England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Wednesday, with the series tied at 1-1.

Steve Smith, who missed Australia’s third-Test defeat with concussion, had made just 23 with the bat on Friday but was not needed to bowl as the tourists wrapped matters up in less than 20 overs’ play.

Australia needed seven wickets on Saturday to force the innings victory – with Derby resuming on 53-3, needing another 113 to make the Aussies bat again – and they struck early when Alex Hughes was bowled off the inside edge by Michael Neser.

Leus du Plooy top-scored with 37 but fell lbw to Mitchell Marsh, while Matt Critchley was left unbeaten on 17 as Starc removed Derbyshire’s last two batsmen for ducks.

Australia had rested their entire first-choice pace attack from the third Test at Headingley with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson all sitting the game out, as did spinner Nathan Lyon.

Ashes 2019: Mitchell Starc impresses as Australia beat Derbyshire in tour matchBut with Smith almost certain to return to the Test side at Old Trafford, Australia must decide who to leave out if all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne is retained in the XI.