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Paine and Hastings in my Australian World T20 squad

10th January, 2016
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David Warner and James Faulkner helped Australia to victory in the ODI against NZ. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Expert
10th January, 2016
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I have seen enough – the Big Bash League may be only two-thirds finished but my mind is made already on Australia’s squad for the World T20 in March.

My Australian squad (and starting XI):

1. David Warner
2. Aaron Finch
3. Steve Smith
4. Chris Lynn
5. Glenn Maxwell
6. Mitch Marsh
7. Tim Paine
8. James Faulkner
9. Jason Behrendorff
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Nathan Lyon

Reserves:
12. Cameron Boyce
13. Shaun Marsh
14. Shane Watson
15. John Hastings

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There are several noticeable weaknesses for the Australians heading into the World Cup and those are obvious in this squad.

Their pace stocks are thin and of major concern is that, Glenn Maxwell aside, their all-rounders are either in poor form, injured or have had next to no T20 cricket.

The man I have picked to fill the second batting all-rounder role, Mitch Marsh, has been in awful batting touch in Tests and his international duties mean he will enter the World T20 without a long run in the shortest format.

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Marsh’s bowling has been wonderful this past year, although like the rest of Australia’s quicks he will have to adapt to slower, dryer pitches in India. He remains Australia’s best option at six in part due to the physical frailties of his competitors.

The other two leading batting all-rounders in the country are Moises Henriques and Shane Watson. Henriques suffered another ill-timed injury two weeks ago when he hurt the same calf which sidelined him for a month earlier this summer.

Australia would be unlikely to risk picking Henriques for the World T20 out of fear that his calf would give way a third time.

The selectors also likely lack full confidence in Watson’s body. Although the strain of T20 cricket pales in comparison to Tests and ODIs, Watson did look restricted in his movement early in the Big Bash League.

His vast experience, not just in global limited-overs tournaments but also in Indian conditions, makes Watson worth the punt. Realistically, who else is pushing for the back-up batting all-rounder spot?

Stoinis played in Australia’s last T20 international, against England in Cardiff in August, making 10* and taking 0-13. In that match, Australia played four all-rounders in their top six, with Stoinis joined by Watson, Marsh and Maxwell.

That was an experimental approach which almost certainly will not be repeated during the World T20. Stoinis has had limited impact in this BBL, scoring 107 runs at 18 and bowling just five overs across six matches.

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Former Australian all-rounder Dan Christian has been in blazing touch with the blade, with 158 runs at 32 in the BBL, but is not the bowler he once was, and has taken just two wickets at 79 with the ball.

Australia’s most important all-rounder after Maxwell, James Faulkner, also is in somewhat of a form trough.

Faulkner’s brilliant limited-overs record for Australia will ensure he heads to India. It is a worry though that he has had few opportunities with the bat in the BBL, while also failing to be effective with the ball, returning collective figures of 1-120.

Faulkner has next to no competition, as bowling all-rounders are thin on the ground at present. Bustling Victorian John Hastings is the best backup for Faulkner, and is also a genuine pace option should one of Jason Behrendorff or Josh Hazlewood get injured or lose form.

Not possessed of the batting prowess of Faulkner, Hastings is still a powerful striker of the ball and an experienced and accomplished T20 player. Hastings’ chance to return to play in his first World Cup has been opened up by injuries to key pacemen Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile, all three of whom would probably have been in this squad if fit.

While he is not a match-winning cricketer, Hastings is a steady seamer and only two bowlers have taken more wickets over the past two BBL seasons than his 24 at 17. Those bowlers are Behrendorff and his Perth Scorchers teammate Andrew Tye.

The latter’s lack of experience in professional cricket counts against him. Tye, who is yet to represent Australia, has played just 41 games of professional cricket compared to Hastings’ 241 outings.

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With Starc, Cummins and Coulter-Nile injured, Behrendorff and Hazlewood are automatic choices. Hazlewood’s Test teammate Nathan Lyon is clearly the best spinner in the country and now has vast experience in high-pressure situations in international cricket.

Leg-spinner Cameron Boyce is a fine understudy and, depending on pitch conditions in India, could be used in tandem with Lyon.

The final position to decide upon was the wicketkeeper. Brad Haddin is the form keeper in the BBL but has retired. Australia’s T20 incumbent Matthew Wade would be a liability on turning Indian tracks due to his shoddy glovework to the slow men – Lyon must still have nightmares about their former union in Test cricket.

Paine may not be quite as destructive with the blade as Wade can be, but he has been striking the ball well in the BBL, earning 194 runs at 32. Most importantly, his glovework is terrific and far beyond what Wade is capable of.

Altogether, it is a sturdy Australian line-up, with the top eight particularly strong. The bowling looks decidedly thin, though. The absence of game-changers Starc and Cummins has left Australia as outsiders in this tournament.

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