Mitchell Starc shines with second hattrick in a single game for NSW

What's the story?

Australian left-armer Mitchell Starc today pulled off a difficult feat, taking his second hat-trick for side New South Wales in the team's Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia.

The 27-year-old took the earlier hat-trick - his first ever in first class cricket - against the team on Monday at the Hurtsville Oval in Sydney.

In case you didn't know

It has been some time since Starc was a fixture on the international circuit, playing his last international level match at the Champions Trophy this year.

The player has been sidelined significantly this year, with a recurrent foot injury forcing him out of much of international cricket until the Sheffield Shield. The domestic tournament marked the player's return to competitive cricket, and he looks to be in solid form for matches ahead.

The details

Starc's domestic record has been excellent this year, with the player cleaning up with career-best first class figures of 8/73 against South Australia last month.

The hat-trick makes Starc the first Australian in over a century to achieve the feat, with TJ Matthews taking two hat-tricks against South Africa in England in 1912.

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Author's Take

Given how significantly injuries sidelined Starc for most of this season, the 27-year-old has done well to keep himself in good nick - as evinced by his form. That form also comes at perhaps the best possible time for Australia, with the Ashes looming large on the horizon.

The Ashes will begin on the 23rd of November this year in Brisbane, with Starc and paceman Josh Hazlewood likely to share the new ball.