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Australia’s campaign at the World T20 2012 begins on Wednesday against Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with the match beginning at 8pm Australia time. Join us for live score updates
Only a couple of weeks ago, Australia’s form in this shortest format of the game had fallen so badly behind that Ireland overtook them in the ICC T20 rankings.
A consolation win in the final T20I of the series against Pakistan helped Australia nudge past Ireland again.
Arguably the ranking system is still at its nascent stages but that does not change the fact that since its inception, Australia hasn’t been the strongest T20 side.
Teams can choose between 12-15 players in their warm-up games leading up to the tournament. The results are therefore hard to get a bearing on.
Australia comfortably accounted for New Zealand in the opening game, and then lost narrowly to England in the second warm-up match. This will give them a some hope.
The bowlers did well in the opener to restrict the Kiwis to a sub-100 score, before the some of the batsmen came into run-scoring form in the England game.
If Dave Warner can open well, as he showed against Pakistan at Dubai, the overall look of the side will get more edge.
Ireland beat both Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in their warm-ups, and although they are minnows, Australia cannot take the men in green for granted.
With former Australia bowling coach Craig McDermott hired as consultant by the Irish side, expect them to have some sting in attack.
The Irish batsmen have had ample practice – Niall O’Brien, brother Kevin, Ed Joyce and Paul Stirling have all been among runs.
Boyd Rankin conceded 15 in the only over he bowled against Bangladesh, but held his own against Zimbabwe, while Trent Johnston and Alex Cusack continued to tie the batsmen down in both games.
The one bowler Ireland will rely on to stem the runs in the middle of the innings is George Dockrell. The left-arm spinner is usually difficult to hit and Australia will do well to keep up the runs during his spell.
Australia have left out David Hussey from the squad which was explained thus by coach Mickey Arthur:
“We wanted to get everything structured and stable before we went into the tournament. Seven doesn’t go into six. One guy has to miss out.”
Arthur also admitted that the side expected much more from Hussey in this format than he has delivered, which is why Glen Maxwell could replace him in the starting line-up in this game.
Xavier Doherty has been ruled out of the first game after he had to rush home for his child’s delivery, which makes Brad Hogg’s selection in the side a certainty.
Mitchell Starc and Clint McKay can be expected to lead the pace bowling attack which leaves one spot open, and Daniel Christian has a good chance of stepping in.
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