Test stars Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc appear set for a massive summer if their early season form is any indication, with the pair again leading NSW to a big win in the domestic one-day cup.
Fast bowler Starc ripped through the South Australian batting, with the Redbacks skittled for just 110 at North Sydney Oval on Thursday as the Blues took an early stranglehold at the top of the competition standings with a 156-run win.
Starc collected 4-27 from 8.3 overs to follow his career-best domestic one-day cup figures of 6-25 in Monday's record 279-run win against the Cricket Australia XI.
Australian and NSW captain Smith fared just as well against SA top-scoring with 72, having also cracked an unbeaten 143 on Monday.
SA never looked in the hunt to chase down NSW's relatively modest 9-266.
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The Redbacks lost in-form Travis Head to the first ball of the innings as Starc produced a barely playable swinging delivery.
He followed up with the key wicket of Callum Ferguson to leave SA floundering at 3-16, while Sean Abbott and Steve O'Keefe chipped in with two wickets apiece.
"We knew we had to hit them early in the top-order and I think we did that really well. As a bowling unit we did really well," said Starc, who now boasts a bowling average of just five after his first two matches.
"It is disappointing not to be playing two Tests (in Bangladesh), but the positive is that the Matador Cup will be very strong.
"I'm happy to keep bowling and keep playing as much as I can."
NSW kept the scoring rate moving along at a reasonable rate during their innings, only to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Former Test opener Shane Watson made a modest start to his summer, scoring just 12 before being bowled in unusual circumstances after misjudging a full-toss from leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
