Veteran Aussie paceman Mitchell Starc has last laugh on young gun Jake Fraser-McGurk in IPL

Mitchell Starc has continued to leak runs at an extraordinary rate in the Indian Premier League, but at least got the better of fellow Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk in an intriguing clash between the veteran seamer and young gun hitter.

The 22-year-old Victorian just about kept out the first two balls Starc bowled at him, scrambling singles off each.

The next two balls he smashed the 34-year-old New South Welshman for six over wide long-on and four though backward point.

But the following ball he mishit to deep square leg where Venkatest Iyer took a fine low catch sending Fraser-McGurk packing for a seven-ball 12.

The showdown came amid reports Fraser-McGurk won’t be named in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, while Steve Smith is also set to be overlooked for the tournament in the US and West Indies this June. Cameron Green, who has struggled in the IPL while Fraser-McGurk has shone, is expected to be named in the 15-man squad this week.

Fraser-McGurk, despite a strong run of form at the IPL, has never played an international T20. He blasted his way onto the international short-from scene during two one-day matches for Australia earlier this year.

Aside from the satisfaction of being on the winning side it was rare moment of joy at Eden Gardens on Monday for Starc whose return to the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders remains challenging.

Batting first Fraser-McGurk’s Delhi Capitals scratched their way to 9-153, No.9 Kuldeep Yadav top-scoring with an unbeaten 35. But Starc’s three overs went for 43. Given his first three legal deliveries, opening the bowling, went for 13, and the last two legal balls, bowled in the 16th over, went for 15 with five wides, it could have been a lot worse.

However, he has now bowled 28 overs, taken seven wickets at 47.14 apiece and been hit for 330 runs - an economy rate of 11.78, or almost two runs per ball.

It is not the impact Kolkata Knight Riders anticipated when they signed Starc for $4.43 million to make him the competition’s most expensive player.

However, when he did not play in their last match due to a finger issue KKR conceded a record 2-262, losing with eight balls to spare, an even worse economy rate as England’s Jonny Bairstow hammered KKR’s other seamers around the park.

With Starc back in the side KKR returned to winning ways, easing to their victory target with seven wickets and 21 balls to spare, making 3-157 with England’s Phil Salt (68 off 33) leading the way.

The win moved KKR into second place on 12 points, four behind leaders Rajasthan Royals and two ahead of a pack of four teams on ten, including Capitals. The top four make the play-offs.