Mitchell Starc – a name that strikes fear into the hearts of contemporary batsmen. It is hard to fathom that the tall, skinny lad from Sydney, who was once an aspiring wicketkeeper in junior cricket, would one day become the most menacing sight for the world's best batsmen.

Legend has it, that a tall, lanky 14-year-old was spotted by a club coach trying out as a wicketkeeper for the Western Suburbs. He pulled the young man aside and demanded that he ditch the wicketkeeping mitts – and that he would teach him how to bowl. The AFL's fabled method of scouting a body-type and building a particular skill around it seemed to be at work again, as it tends to work in favour of the player's ability and aptitude.