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BRISBANE. — Mitchell Starc’s return will strike fear into the West Indies and South African batsmen in next month’s one-day cricket tri-series in the Caribbean, skipper Steve Smith said yesterday.

Left-arm paceman Starc (26) has been out of action since fracturing his foot in last November’s historic day-night Test in Adelaide against New Zealand and undergoing ankle surgery.

Starc’s fitness boosts the Australian pace attack, which also features Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Scott Boland for the ODI tri-series, where each team play three matches against each other, with the top two advancing to the final on June 26 in Barbados.

“It’s nice to have Mitchell Starc back bowling the way he is,” Smith told reporters before the team’s departure.

“He’s looking fresh and bowling at good pace. Hopefully, some of the South African and West Indies batsmen are a little bit scared at the moment.

“It’s exciting to have him back and hopefully he can have some success straight away, or pick up where he left off.”

Starc has been charging in off his full run-up and bowling with impressive pace at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane over the past few days in preparation for the West Indies trip.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade was struck a painful blow in the stomach from Starc in the nets yesterday.

Smith, who came home from the Indian Premier League early with injury, said he was fit to take his place on the tour. — AFP.