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Aaron Finch's lax form is tailor made for Australian Test selection

Aaron Finch could make the Test team yet. (AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES)
Expert
7th December, 2016
2

Aaron Finch’s slump has pushed him closer to Test selection, with many believing his hot streak of fallibility is a perfect fit with the collapse-happy baggy green.

Calls for the chunky Victorian’s inclusion have been growing after amassing a commercial quantity of faltering confidence and low scores that would look right at home in Australia’s traditionally brittle batting line-up.

But after again exhibiting all of the local qualities of a Test batsman with another lean return in Tuesday’s ODI, he is now surely on the cusp of earning a long-awaited national call-up.

Australia's Aaron Finch leaves the field after scoring 5 runs during the second 20Twenty international cricket match between England and Australia at the Riverside Ground, Chester-Le-Street, northeast England, on August 31, 2013. England, after losing the toss, made 195 for five in the second and final Twenty20 international at Chester-le-Street. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES

By managing to retard run-scoring on the Nimbin of decks – the ultra-docile Manuka Oval – Finch thrust his name forth again with a dog-eared 19 that ended when he was bowled around the legs by a deceptively linear delivery from Mitchell Santner.

Once unencumbered, Australia politely blocked a few deliveries to cushion his morale before accelerating with 310 runs in 38 overs.

While Australia usually opts for batsmen who struggle with the moving ball and not the straight ones, Finch has struck while the iron is hot by batting with a door snake at an opportune time.

With Pakistan sending a chilling warning that they are intent on recapturing the mantle of cricket’s kings of the chaotic collapse, the Victorian’s scratchy touch is just what Australia will need to fight fire with fire.

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A serious soft-shell shootout awaits against the tourists after they sent a clear message with a chilling implosion against New Zealand.

Despite sitting atop the ICC Test rankings earlier this year, Pakistan’s eight-wicket dissipation inside a session shows they are returning to old habits, and the full relapse is timed to culminate on Australian shores.

If Steve Smith’s men are serious about matching the tourists’ ability to crater, they will need to revive their delicate ways after the stable blip of Adelaide.

On current wafting, Finch could be a critical cog in arresting the team’s one-match resurgence.

Further strengthening his Test hopes, the Colac product is aged over 30 and brings versatility, meaning he can deliver hit-and-miss value anywhere in the order.

Best of all, wherever in the order that may be, he probably won’t publicly complain about it.

However, while Finch is presently making all the right moves at one-day level, plenty will depend on whether he can perform in the summer’s traditional window for Test selection – the Big Bash League.

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