Now that IPL is out of the way, focus shifts to the 2017 Champions Trophy, kicking off on June 1 at The Oval, where the hosts take on Bangladesh.
Australia have won the tournament twice and are one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Most Australian players were involved in the twoo-month-long IPL and have just few days to recuperate before they play their first warm-up game, against the Sri Lankans.
Aussie squad
Steven Smith (captain), David Warner (vice-captain), Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa
Finch will join Warner at the top of the order, followed by Smith at number three. Stoinis and Henriques have been picked as the seam bowling all-rounders, with James Faulkner unable to find a place in the squad.
Stoinis and Henriques are batting all-rounders, who can send down a few overs, while Cummins and Hastings are the bowling all-rounders.
In the middle order, Head may be picked ahead of Lynn, as the former offers more stability.
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The bowling attack will be boosted by the return of Starc, who is by far the best limited-overs bowler in the world and very hard to negotiate in any condition.
Australia also have Hazelwood, Cummins and Pattinson in the squad, making for a very pacy foursome, with Zampa picked as the lone spinner.
Though the pace attack is potent, if we look at the batting line up, except for Smith and possibly Head, there is a sameness. If Australia do lose quick wickets, the team does not have any grafters to post a competitive total.
Australia will rely a lot on Smith, Head and Wade to grind out the difficult overs. The absence of players like George Bailey and Shaun Marsh might hurt if things get tough at the top of the order.
It will also be interesting to see if Australia play all their pacers, using Maxwell as a part-time spinner. Really, Australia should play Zampa, as he provides the x-factor with the ball which Australia needs during the middle overs to mix things up.
If they do go with Zampa, they would have to choose between Cummins and Pattinson, with Cummins’ recent form giving him the edge.
Australia’s probable XI in their first game against New Zealand
David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith (C), Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mathew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Adam Zampa
This is a well-balanced side, with three pace bowlers, one leg spinner, one medium-pace all-rounder, and one part-time spinner. Starc and Cummins can bat a bit too lower down the order.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
A narrow win in the first game and a rained off second game makes selection harder for Australia. Warner failed in both the games but is a certainty in the X1. Finch has runs in both the games and in all probability will join Warner at the top of the order. Both Stoinis and Henriques did not score many runs but Henriques bowled very well against Sri Lanka. Chris Lynn failed in the only opportunity he got to bat, which is unfortunate but he might miss out to much experienced Maxwell. Maxwell himself did not score any runs but will still make the X1 I feel due to his seniority and experience. Henriques will probably get the nod as he does provide more stable batting option in the middle order compared to Chris Lynn. Starc and Cummins will take the two bowling spots and it will be a toss up between Hazelwood and Hastings. Adam Zampa will play as the lone specialist spinner in the X1. So lot more questions than answers for Australia at the end of their warm up games but they do have some very good players who can come good at the big stage.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
In the first warm up game, the Aussie batting came to the fore. The managed to grab a narrow win against the the Lankans. Finch has almost booked his place in the X1 and so has Head. The rest of the batting did not take their chances, especially Lynn and Henriques. They would have to bat incredibly well in the next game to sway the selectors. Maxwell and Stoinis also did not contribute much. Maxwell's form especially will be a worry for the Australian camp as he did not have a great IPL either. Almost all Australian bowlers except for Henriques and Cummins were carted around. The fact that Smith did not bowl Stoinis in the game and bowled Henriques might give a hint as to which side he might be leaning towards. Henriques does provide some solidity to the batting while Stoinis is a power hitter. So good win for the Aussies but they would want to work on their bowling in their game against Pakistan. They would also hope that the rest of the batting spends some time in the middle before their first game against New Zealand.
millazzzz
Guest
At this point surely Henriques is seen as a batsmen who happens to bowl a bit. His short form record of late is outstanding, the fact that he can bowl a few if needed is just a bonus, it doesn't make him a lesser player. Ditto Travis Head, Maxwell. They are all good enough to be in the team on the back of there batting alone. With a team of 4 specialist bowlers, they are all only really needed for 3-4 overs each, maybe some cover for injury. Obviously if one of them is bowling well, Smith will keep them on ala Head in the One Dayers this year.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
It will be a toss up between Chris Lynn and Finch. I don't think there is space for both of them in the X1. The warm up games should throw some light.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
Pattinson might not get a game at all. Australia have John Hastings in the team as well, so I think Pattinson is probably 5th in the pecking order to play. I would be surprised if Australia see him as the first choice pacer in the X1. Adam Zampa is crucial for Australia as they do not have a second specialist spinner. In 2013 Champions Trophy in England, the pitches were really dry and the spinners got a lot of turn.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
England does have a very powerful batting line up for the shorter format. If we look back at the 2013 Champions Trophy, the pitches were dry and were helping spin. India had two good spinners and both did very well. If the pitches are flat then, Indian batting does not have the power hitters they used to have. Yuvraj is past his sell by date, Dhawan is not in great form and hasn't played in ODI's for sometime now. India also are missing KL Rahul at the top. It all boils down to how Kohli bats, the rest of the batting isn't too reliable at the moment. Rohit Sharma at the top is making a comeback to international cricket after a long break.
DavSA
Guest
As i write this comment we are half way through the 1st England SA one dayer Clearly its a batsmans paradise. Is this an indication of what's to come in the CT. England bat very deep and don't have the bowling resources of either Australia or SA. They may have decided that this is the way forward in the comp. It will of course bring India big time into contention if the quicks are neutralised through pitch preparation.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
Solid read, good article mate! I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Pattinson in the shorter format of the game. He can leak runs, and with such small grounds in the UK, I would be tempted to go with Cummins, who I see as a more versatile player, in terms of white ball cricket. I also rate Zampa immensely, and think he is so undervalued in the Australian line-up. Deserves way more praise than he gets, and for a leg-spinner to be so accurate in one-day cricket, I agree with you that he could be the x factor for the Australians.
matth
Guest
I just hope they unleash Chris Lynn
Rellum
Roar Guru
BBQ cup form is absolutely meaningless. It is a pre-season tournament played over a tiny period of time long before or after Australia ever plays a one day game. I am one of the bigger QLD domestic fans on this site and even I can't remember off the top of my head if Uzzi even played in the last BBQ cup. The domestic one day comp only serves to give people like me one last chance to see QLD going around in their colours before CA kills it off. It plays no part in the make up of the Aus one day team and CA has reduced it to a point where very few care who wins it. At least it is on free to air, one of the only good things this current CA administration has done, and if it does slowly build an audience over the two or three weeks. If it went all season and we saw a game every Friday night you might even see it have a baring on the national team and people again care who wins, but that is not going to happen. At least not while James Sutherland is in charge.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
Maxwell is an underrated part time spinner, need to bowl a lot more than he does. He reminds be a bit of Sehwag, who himself was underused a lot. Head I am not that sure. He probably should just play as a batsman. Australia already have too many all-rounders in the X1, should not be bowling Head at all.
JohnB
Guest
Head is also a part-time spinner - rightly or wrongly preferred to Maxwell in that role all last season.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
Fair enough, probably can swap, Hazlewood with Zampa. I feel Cummins and Starc are better power hitters so will stay should stay ahead of Zampa in the X1. David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith (C), Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mathew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
I agree in a way that if the pitches are flat, Australian batting can run riot as they have amazing hitters but if there is something for the bowlers you would need someone in Steve Waugh, M Bevan mould. Shaun Marsh was in poor form and is currently injured I guess. Maxwell and Finch are in poor form as well. Australia will have to rely a lot on Warner, Smith, Wade and Head as the rest of the batting is not that reliable. Stoinis had that one fantastic innings but again, he is not a reliable all rounder. Henriques is a better batsman but hasn't done anything of note in ODI's for Australia. So this is a tricky squad for Australia, they have picked heavy hitters which is fine but lots of them find themselves out of form. The bowling part, I guess Starc is phenomenal ODI bowler, Hazelwood is pretty consistent and would not go for too many runs. Zampa will be crucial in the middle overs as you mention. Pat Cummins will spray the ball a bit but can be dangerous with his pace but as you mention there are no Faulkner type bowlers in the X1. Can John Hastings do that job?
Ross
Guest
Yeah Khawaja would be the ideal opener or cover or even someone like handscombe but we made a mistake by taking finch, I do like Lynn being there as he is in a different zone right now
Simon
Guest
why do you guys keep putting Zampa at 11 lol. The dude has a first class average of 23 and 3 fifties in one dayers. Can bat
BurgyGreen
Guest
I'm not sure the lack of grafting batsmen is the major problem - guys you mentioned like Bailey, Khawaja and S. Marsh haven't been in amazing ODI form of late and have been left out for that reason. Guys like Lynn, Head, Smith, Henriques, Stoinis, Wade and even Maxwell are capable of building totals when required, and Warner's form is such that his attacking strokeplay will likely come off on flat English pitches anyway. My biggest concern in terms of balance is that we've picked one too many aggressive express fast bowlers. Pattinson is surplus to requirements in my view and someone like Faulkner to take pace off the ball in the death overs would've been more useful, as Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins, Pattinson and Hastings all bowl at a fairly hittable pace. I predict a lot of edges and slices flying to the boundary against us this tournament. For this reason, Zampa's role especially will be critical.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
One thing going for Lynn is that he has been in exceptional form in the recent times. So you never know, he may be picked ahead of Finch to open with Warner. I just hope that Australia don't pick both of them in the X1 leaving Travis Head out, that would be a disaster.
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
Yup, it seems like the selectors have gone with lots of all-rounders in the squad. England used to do that in the 90's when they played lots of all-rounders in their X1 especially at home. This approach might either work or can backfire badly.
Ross
Guest
I agree mate, Khawaja has proven himself at matador but like always never gets a real chance to prove himself, and on Lynn he is a class above finch who is past his best and his inability to play swing bowling works against him