In dropping George Bailey and Aaron Finch from the ODI squad to take on Pakistan this week, Australia has all but ruled out that pair for the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament in England.
After the five-match series against Pakistan, which begins on Friday in Brisbane, Australia only has three more ODIs scheduled before the Champions Trophy kicks off in June.
Thus the move to drop Bailey and Finch strongly suggests neither player is in Australia’s plans for that tournament.
The two beneficiaries of that selection decision are Usman Khawaja and Chris Lynn, who look set to take the positions of Finch and Bailey as opener and number four batsman, respectively.
Australia’s top four against Pakistan looks likely to be Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith and Lynn, followed by two of Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Mitch Marsh, with keeper Matthew Wade at seven.
Finch and Bailey have been fixtures of the ODI side for several years but paid the price for lengthy form troughs.
The burly opening batsman started the 2015 ODI World Cup in style, with 135 against England. But since then, Finch averaged just 29 with the bat from his 35 ODIs.
Bailey, meanwhile, had an incredible start to his ODI career but averaged just 32 over the past three years.
What was even more damning than that poor average was Bailey’s dawdling strike rate of just 76 in that period.
In the modern ODI game, where 350 is now a par total on some pitches and 400 often considered “gettable”, Bailey had fallen behind the times.
While he remained useful at holding innings together, particularly after a few early wickets, Bailey was too one-dimensional for the modern game in that he struggled to score briskly from ball one when required.
Australia has swapped old school Bailey for a batsman in Lynn, who is famously brutal from his first delivery onwards in T20 cricket.
Strangely enough, Lynn isn’t in Australia’s T20 or Test sides but instead has been picked for what is his weakest format.
While he has a commanding first-class average of 44 and a phenomenal T20 record, Lynn’s 50-over stats are humble.
In 39 List A matches, Lynn has made 1070 runs at 31 and never scored a century.
Lynn missed all of the last domestic one-day tournament – his last 50-over match was for Australia A against South Africa A just over four months ago, when he made an unbeaten 56 from 51 balls.
The inclusion of Lynn at four could potentially make Australia’s batting even more ballistic.
Already the Australians have arguably the most destructive top six in the ODI format thanks to the match-changing power of the likes of Warner, Maxwell and Marsh, plus the class of Smith. If Lynn can find his range as a 50-over batsman and translate his astonishing form in T20 cricket, Australia’s ODI batting will be truly monstrous.
Combined with the world’s best attack – Mitchell Starc (ODI bowling average of 20), Josh Hazlewood (24), Pat Cummins (23) and Adam Zampa (28) – Australia’s batting power makes them the team to beat at the Champions Trophy.
Not only has Australia won that tournament two of the past three times, but they’ve also claimed four of the past five World Cups.
The folly of picking a third-string attack in South Africa last year saw them punished 5-0, but once they selected a proper side again they were back to their brutal best smashing the Kiwis 3-0.
While Lynn has been picked for his power, it was Khawaja’s finesse which appealed. He shapes as a fine opening partner for the more dynamic Warner.
That pair, along with Smith, will seek to set solid platforms upon which Lynn, Maxwell, Marsh and Head can build gigantic totals.
The decision to dump Bailey and Finch was timely and has set up Australia nicely for a run at the Champions Trophy.
Patrick Effeney
Editor
Links from CNN? What more could I ask for!
Bob Sims
Guest
Well said!
Bob Sims
Guest
Rabs, the one thing you just seem to ignore is that there are quite a lot of cricket fans out there who just don't like BBL and similar. You talk about relevance, but what is the relevance of BBL? Cricket played at international level is still the best form of the game, be it ODI or Test. Something about playing for your country? Reaching the top level? The lure of the almighty dollar has a lot to answer for.
Don Freo
Guest
Not a "silly"one. Batsmen can build an innings and bowlers can work to plans. More than one kind of skill is welcome and required. That's cricket.
josh
Roar Rookie
isn't 1 day a silly hybrid of 5 day?
Don Freo
Guest
All except T20, double wicket or single wicket. That was easy to answer. In those silly hybrids...batsman and bowlers have to concede skill and technique to luck and imagination. That's a different game.
josh
Roar Rookie
What is real cricket? Is it 5 day, 4 day, 3 day, 2 day, 1 day, T20, Single wicket, double wicket?
Felix
Guest
Wow, as a test purist and a long serving cricket fan I'd disagree with basically everything you've said here except that Punter is ok, Gilly has great insight, Mark Waugh is a downright tool. If anything is scheduled incorrectly it's a rubbish 5 match ODI series against a Pakistani side that unfortunately has been declining since their quarter final appearance. BBL is cricket at its entertaining best for people that can't stand longer formats. The scorchers vs heat game had over 1.2mil viewers. Now I love watching a batsman be worked over or a plan being bowled to, but I'm in the 1% who could watch grass grow or long for a timeless test. 50 over cricket is fast disappearing into obscurity, and the only relevance it has is that batsmen can still graft an innings. Remember it was a product too, created by media - do we make T20 30/30 and have two forms of cricket once again?
Felix
Guest
This! In the valley of the blind, the one eyed man is king... I'm an unabashed test and shield tragic, I will even go to AB field to watch meaningless List A games when work permits, and be one of the only fans alongside parents. But Ronan et al, to say that BBL is interrupting our purist season is to say all gold egg laying geese must be slaughtered. It's paving the concrete and keeping the interest in the game alive in this country. I'd sooner see another BBL team from NZ in an expanded comp play in front of 30,000 than I'd see a pink ball bowled in anger in front of 5,000 at 10AM on Monday.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Thanks AlanC
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah I've got youngish kids, and they do love the BBL. It is great for getting kids excited about cricket.
AlanC
Guest
Said it before Ronan and I'm sure I'll say it again : you're living the dream mate. Well done!
AlanC
Guest
It's possible to not only live but thrive in today's society without money. Discuss...
BurgyGreen
Guest
The major annoyance for me is that Maxwell is going to continue to be out of the side despite being a far more feared prospect for the opposition than Head. Head looks a decent ODI batsman but I think we can do better than decent. Lynn, Maxwell, Marsh at 4-6 is awe-inspiring hitting power.
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Titanic is the highest grossing movie of all time, therefore its the best movie of all time..... Discuss.
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Oh dear. "Diluting" the big bash by picking players to play for Australia? Playing ODI's is "greed", but cancelling FC cricket in Australia to cash in on T20 is not greed?? Explain that one for me. Everything that is wrong with cricket can be summed up in your (and Rabs) comments above.
Don Freo
Guest
I certainly don't, Rabs. ODD and ODIs (particularly ODD) are great viewing. I'll happily watch BBL but it is always over just as it starts. Cricket doesn't work that way.
Don Freo
Guest
Those kids...and women and the Aussies that just love an occasion (the main clientelle of BBL)...will watch it at any time. The real cricket season need not be put on hold while this happens. Start or end (preferably start) the cricket season with BBL. If we ARE promoting to kids, the start of a season is when to do it. Then, filter Shield and ODD through the summer so international contenders get to play the game they are being selected for.
Don Freo
Guest
Adrian! "...ditto for Cartwright"? When did you decide Cartwright was out of form? I don't think he is as good as Mitch Marsh but he is certainly in form. As for "experience", Lehmann, Patterson, Maddinson and Cartwright have been around Shield cricket for seasons...none of them less than 4 seasons. They haven't played every game in that time but they are quite experienced and all are ready for the next experience. If you bat Lynn at #7...who do you anticipate will bowl and keep wickets? Are you running an interchange?
JGK
Roar Guru
Actually I was in Madrid a few weeks ago but didn't get to venture further south. The Mezquita is definitely on the building bucket list.