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Back to the future for Australia in the T20 series against Sri Lanka

24th January, 2017
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George Bailey should be given another shot in the ODI team. (AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES)
Expert
24th January, 2017
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Australia’s T20 team could be packed with veterans for their upcoming series against Sri Lanka, with the hosts set to be missing seven members of their first-choice T20 XI because of a scheduling clash with the Test tour of India.

Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade and Usman Khawaja all are unavailable for the T20 series because of Test commitments.

Starc, Smith, Warner, Maxwell and Marsh all are locks in Australia’s first-choice T20 line-up, while Khawaja and Wade both featured in their last T20 series, in Sri Lanka.

Australia long have used T20Is and ODIs to blood new players but, right now, there are few emerging cricketers demanding selection in the shortest format. When it comes to batting, the Big Bash League is being dominated by older players.

Of the top 13 runscorers in the competition (prior to last night’s semi-final), only one of them is an Australian aged under 29 years. That player, Sydney Sixers strokemaker Daniel Hughes, is not exactly a pup – he’ll be 28 years old by the time of the first Twenty20 against Sri Lanka on February 17.

Hughes has cracked 250 runs at an average of 50 (strike rate of 123) this BBL season, and also had a brilliant domestic one-day campaign, with 386 runs at 64 in the Matador Cup.

If Australia look to the future in selecting their T20 team, then they’ll pick batsmen the likes of Ashton Turner (23 years old), Travis Head (23), Marcus Harris (24), Alex Ross (24) or Ben McDermott (22).

But if Australia simply pick the best possible team, then their batting line-up would be packed with veterans. Tim Paine (32 years old), Aaron Finch (30), Dunk (29), George Bailey (34), Cameron White (33) and Dan Christian (33) would be close to Australia’s strongest top six, given the players available.

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Aaron Finch of the Melbourne Renegades

Finch’s blasting approach would be well complemented by the more cultured style of Paine. Dunk, meanwhile, has been the most impressive batsman in the BBL, aside from the injured Chris Lynn. At four and five, Bailey and White are two of Australia’s most experienced T20 players. Only David Warner and Shane Watson have played more T20s for Australia than White (47 matches), while Bailey’s 28 T20Is as a captain is a record for Australia.

Australia will badly lack a dynamic all-rounder in the middle order against Sri Lanka due to the absence of Maxwell and Mitch Marsh. Dan Christian is a quality T20 all-rounder and has been in brilliant touch with the ball in the BBL. But with just 87 runs at 14 this season, he hasn’t been offering much with the blade. Australia may ignore the poor BBL form of ODI player Head and include him instead.

James Faulkner, Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa are obvious selections in Australia’s attack. My third pace option would be Sean Abbott, who has taken 27 wickets at an average of 17 over the past two BBL seasons.

Australia’s selectors may not have much respect for the role of spin in the shorter formats but I definitely do. That’s why I’d pick 23-year-old Sydney Thunder off-spinner Chris Green to complement Zampa’s leggies. Green is not a prolific wicket taker, with 15 wickets at an average of 24 from his 17 T20 appearances. What he does have, though, is fantastic control. Green’s career economy rate of 6.82 runs per over is absolutely outstanding for a T20 bowler.

In Cummins, Abbott and Zampa, Australia already have plenty of strike power, Green’s frugalness would offer fine balance to the attack.

When you’re missing up to seven members of your starting XI it is never going to be easy. But the following Australian line-up would be competitive against Sri Lanka:

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1. Tim Paine (wk)
2. Aaron Finch
3. Ben Dunk
4. George Bailey
5. Cameron White
6. Travis Head
7. James Faulkner
8. Pat Cummins
9. Sean Abbott
10. Chris Green
11. Adam Zampa

Reserves
12. Dan Christian
13. Scott Boland
14. Joe Burns

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