Australia’s lack of batting dynamism may have been exposed in ODIs, but they will start the Twenty20 tri-series today with a line-up overflowing with ballistic hitting power.
A ferocious top six, in batting order, of Chris Lynn, D’Arcy Short, David Warner, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis should be unleashed as that series starts today with Australia facing New Zealand in Sydney.
Although Warner and Finch have long been Australia’s first-choice opening combination in T20Is, both men have had success further down the order in the shortest format, so Chris Lynn and D’Arcy Short should be used at the top.
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Finch showcased his versatility during the past two IPLs when he batted at four or lower in 17 matches for Gujarat Lions and adapted brilliantly, making 450 runs at 32, with a blistering strike rate of 156.
The Victorian underlined he is not just a top order slugger who likes to tee off against the new ball, but that he also has the ability to guide his side’s innings through the middle overs against spin.
Warner, meanwhile, has batted at three or four at times in each of his past four IPL seasons and, like Finch, has proved he can expertly control the tempo of an innings through the middle to late overs.
The flexibility of Warner and Finch allows Australia to bat Lynn and Short in their preferred position as openers.
Australia’s best XI for today’s match:
1. Chris Lynn
2. D’Arcy Short
3. David Warner
4. Aaron Finch
5. Glenn Maxwell
6. Marcus Stoinis
7. Alex Carey
8. Ashton Agar
9. Andrew Tye
10. Adam Zampa
11. Billy Stanlake
Short has been in extraordinary form at the top of the order for Hobart in the current BBL season, leading the competition in runs with 504 runs at 56, and a strike rate of 148.
The left hander has been remarkably destructive during the Power Play, blasting the ball through and over the in-field with ease.
Lynn, meanwhile, has long rode roughshod over the BBL, vaporising bowling attacks at will. Australian fans will be itching to see him unleash on international cricket, with Lynn having been limited to just five T20Is over the space of four years due to his fragile body.
Lynn and Short are as explosive an opening pair as exist in T20Is. If the fact they’re followed by two of the world’s best T20 batsmen in Warner and Finch isn’t intimidating enough, Australia then have two more muscular strikers at five and six in Maxwell and Stoinis.
Maxwell is the fastest-scoring batsman in the history of T20Is, with his jaw-dropping strike rate of 165 well clear of the next best – 157 by New Zealand’s Colin Munro
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Finch (strike rate of 148) and Warner (139) also feature prominently on that list, giving Australia three of the swiftest scoring batsmen T20Is have witnessed.
Joining Maxwell in the middle order is Australia’s ODI ‘Man of the Moment’ Marcus Stoinis. No Australian ODI batsman over the past year has struck the ball more cleanly and powerfully than Stoinis, who in that time has churned out 566 runs at 62, with a strike rate of 104.
His career T20 record is decidedly ordinary, with a batting average of 22 and a bowling average of 26. But then again Stoinis’ domestic record in 50-over cricket is poor, too, yet he’s been dominant in ODIs.
Based on his scorching touch in ODIs and in this BBL – 179 runs at 45, with a strike rate of 144 – it won’t surprise me if Stoinis excels in the tri-series.
Rounding out this power-laden batting order, at seven and eight, are this BBL’s second-leading runscorer Alex Carey and bowling all-rounder Ashton Agar, who has 149 runs at 50 in this BBL.
So Australia have not just a wealth of boundary-clearing ability, but also great depth. It may just be the most exciting batting unit Australia have ever fielded in a T20I.
Of course, that’s just on paper. All of this hype will mean nothing if Australia can’t finally gel as a team. Australia are ranked a lowly seventh in T20Is although, such is the volatility of these rankings, they could leap to as high as second if they perform strongly in this tri-series.
Certainly they have no excuses on the batting front – if this top eight can’t succeed in T20Is then Australia are truly lost in this format.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Stanlake had a great game, Rob- good on him! I make the calls as I see it, don't expect to be right all the time. It's called an 'opinion'.
Don Freo
Guest
Have we learned a new word, Ben? You still haven't worked out what this site is for, have you? I get that you might be lonely and bored but this approach is probably not going to help you.
Don Freo
Guest
'Bezar' you say? What on earth are you talking about? NSW? WA? You are now seemingly arguing with your own misunderstandings. You referred to 'excuses'.
Ben Brown
Guest
Don, shut your putrid delusional mouth.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Was that the Kiwis batting that you had in mind? Ben Laughlin or Jhye Richardson for Kane Richardson would do nicely
Rob
Guest
Don, what players are you talking about? You said " Dan Christian, Nic Maddinson and Marcus Harris. That 3 do it more consistently than Lynn…and they are very inconsistent." That's bezar you named a WA boy that plays for Victoria and 2 are from NSW? Every State has produced good cricketing talent from time to time. Western Australia have a good system with passionate coaches. I'm a one eyed (QLD) support but your garbage about WA being the best is ridicules.
Don Freo
Guest
How is that an excuse? That is just an outline as to why WA cricket is in good shape. How about trying to explain why you have a contrary view. Tell me which of those players are no good and why they won't enrich WA cricket when they return. As for the Marshes, I didn't even mention them...but there's them too. Add to that Cameron Green, maybe the most exciting young cricket talent in Australia and you have a full cricket team. By all means Rob, blindly knock everything West Australian but at least make a case as to why you think these players are failures.
Rob
Guest
Good call TCL? M. Marsh isn't playing. Billy Stanlake is having a field day.
Rob
Guest
Don, you constantly give out the injury excuse when talking about the Marsh boys or losses on the score board. I'm very sure the only thing that has stopped Lynn from being more successful is injury. He would absolutely leave the Marsh boys in the shade playing all formats.
Don Freo
Guest
He only scored 150 runs this season. By all means, pick him last season but not BBL07. Just run of the mill.
shirtpants
Roar Guru
Yeah agree with all that. Lynn: 3rd highest BBL run scorer, most 6's, averaged 154 last year and 37 this year (and i do remember him getting a dodgy dismissal in either his first or second game) 2 x player of the tournament awards for the aforementioned seasons, 158 strike rate, $1.86 million IPL contract... Who's keeping him out of any side?
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Clever
Don Freo
Guest
I have a hunch you only know who WA has on the horizon when you see them play. Voges and Johnson are always going to be winding down. They'll be replaced by those on the way. If Agar is going to be playing more and more for Oz, it is likely that the next contract will go to Clint Hinchliffe. Excellent batsman and very tight, wicket taking left hand orthodox spinner. Played a number of List A games for WA and Australia already. When Paris, Behrendorff, NCN, David Moody and Simon Mackin are up and running, Johnno will dip his hat and call it a day. He has already said he wants to spend time doing some coaching work with Matt Kelly. See that list of names? Add Richardson and Tye. The Scorchers have the future in hand.
Nudge
Guest
That qualifies as Perth. I would have to agree with Don WA do have a lot of good young cricketers on the rise. NSW’s are the dominate state, but WA are producing the next most promising at the moment.
BurgyGreen
Guest
Come on, you've got to give Lynn some credit. 300+ runs in two consecutive seasons is pretty consistent, and an overall average of 37 at a strike rate of nearly 150 is very impressive. He's far better than Maddinson or Christian or Harris. Only injury has let him down.
Internal Fixation
Guest
Plenty. But admit this year only 1 match in person. Went to all 5 days of the Adelaide test with a higher test crowd than will ever be at Optus.. but I digress Scorchers are good and consistent - have admired them for a long time. But Short is a walk up starter in that side. The depth you have been on about forever wasn’t enough this year. I think you need to step back and look at how silly your argument is about Short. Voges has retired now so maybe they should get him back.
Don Freo
Guest
He's been with Gosnells (in Perth's foothills) since he was a teenager.
Don Freo
Guest
If you've been watching with two eyes...or one...you would have seen The Scorchers win more games than any other team since the inception of the BBL. Did you know that? You seem to have only watched Thursday's game. Care to concede you have watched others?
Internal Fixation
Guest
Very sensible sir
Internal Fixation
Guest
Short is from the NT genius