Steve Smith may be Australia’s T20 captain, but it’s now arguable whether he is an automatic pick in the national team.
Smith’s record is decidedly poor – an average of 21 at the ordinary strike rate of 122 from his 30 matches. Granted, his appearances have been limited to just ten matches in the past six years, and he has been consistently effective in the Indian Premier League.
But if every player was fit and available, would Smith make Australia’s best line-up? A full-strength XI would likely look like this:
1. Chris Lynn
2. D’Arcy Short
3. David Warner
4. Aaron Finch
5. Glenn Maxwell
6. Alex Carey
7. Ashton Agar
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Nathan Coulter-Nile
10. Adam Zampa
11. Andrew Tye
Adam Zampa (AAP Image/SNPA, John Cowpland)
Were a change to be made to that top six, the most likely alteration would be to remove one of Lynn or Short, reinstate Warner or Finch to the top of the order, and bring in another batsman at three or four.
Even then, Smith would not be the indisputable choice to come in, with Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja both extremely strong candidates, and similar T20 batsmen to the skipper.
The other obvious option would be to squeeze in Smith by playing an extra batsman and dropping one of the bowlers. But, thanks to the generous batting ability of Ashton Agar, Australia can afford to play five bowlers in T20s.
Unlike in ODIs, where a deep batting line-up is highly valuable, allowing the top six to play aggressively, it is far less important in T20s. Rarely do the batsmen at 9-10-11 have a major role to play in the shortest format.
Australia have only been bowled out twice in their past 25 T20s, despite being a poor-performing team during that period, often as a result of fielding second-string line-ups. It would stand to reason that their full-strength team would be even less likely to be bowled out inside 20 overs.
Agar is key to a strategy of playing five bowlers. While he is still in the infancy of his T20 career, with just four matches to his name, he appears to have the makings of a quality T20 bowler.
He is coming off an outstanding Big Bash League campaign in which he incredibly conceded just 5.74 runs per over across nine matches. Only superstar leg-spinner Rashid Khan (5.65rpo) had a better economy rate across the tournament.
The 24-year-old has carried that brilliant form into the ongoing tri-series with New Zealand and England, taking combined figures of 3-37 at an economy rate of just 5.3rpo in the two matches so far. Remarkably, Agar has conceded only one boundary (a four) from seven overs in this series.
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The England and New Zealand batsmen have found it difficult to get after Agar, just as his BBL opponents did. He is not a big turner of the ball and doesn’t possess befuddling variations like Khan, but Agar is relentlessly accurate, maintains a challenging length, earns sharp bounce from his 189cm frame, and varies his pace.
It is this last attribute which may well be Agar’s most valuable. With no obvious alteration in his action, he is able to send down either a looping 82kmh delivery or a spearing 102kmh ball. These regular changes make it tricky for batsmen to line him up.
On the batting front, Agar is comfortably good enough to bat at seven for Australia, having batted in every position within the top six for the Perth Scorchers over the past four seasons.
This BBL tournament, he was positioned mostly at seven and played numerous valuable cameos, finishing with 149 runs at 50, with a strike rate of 128.
Because of his high-profile international debut as a 19-year-old in the 2013 Ashes, it is easy to forget just how young Agar is. The West Australian is now showing signs he can become a quality limited-overs player, and possibly even a fine successor for Nathan Lyon in the Test team.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Zampa has a brilliant T20 career record - average of 20 and an economy rate of 7 His numbers are even better for Australia - average of 15 and economy rate of 6 He is an automatic pick in Australia'S T20I .
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
It's true that his T20 bowling in four games this season has not been great but his bowling average is about the same as Hazlewood, KRichardson and Cummins and better than Bird who also have high sevens,low eights for T20 economy. Remember though, that Mitch averaged 169 in the recent JLT 50 over comp and a lazy 106 in the Ashes. Stoinis doesn't have great variation either
Andrew
Guest
Maybe Smiith and Warner need to get some training lessons off Maxwell of how to play.
Rob
Guest
How is Zampa in the best 11? Richardson or Hazelwood are far better options IMO.
DaveJ
Guest
Call me crazy but hitting the ball in the air straight to a fieldsmen is traditionally not considered to be a good shot. If you hit the ball in the air, no matter how cleanly, and look surprised when it goes straight to a fieldsman your batting brain is not working well. It looks like hitting and hoping, a bit like most kids play.
Nudge
Guest
That’s right, you don’t just throw out high quality performers when they have gone what, 3 weeks with out doing much. The bloke has been an outstanding white ball cricketer for nearly 10 years, he’s got runs on the board so to speak. His last 11 one day series leading into this brief form lapse reads. Against India 5 matches average 49 strike rate 93. Champions trophy 3 games average 49 strike rate 93. Against Pakistan 5 games average 73 strike rate 112 against NZ 3 games average 99 strike rate 110. South Africa 5 games average 77 strike rate 113. Sri Lanka 5 games at 28 strike rate 82. Tri series South Africa and WI. 3 games average 82 strike rate 91. NZ 3 matches average 42 strike rate 121. India 3 matches average 73 strike rate 102. England 2 matches average 60 strike rate 88. Ireland one match average 88 at 105. Bahahaha you blokes are the typical whining keyboard warriors. You should put your hand up next time Pakistan advertise for a chairman of selectors. You’re perfectly suited.
Mitch
Guest
Khawaja was one of the best batsman in the last t20 world cup and has shown that same form in the bbl.
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Sorry, but Mitch Marsh's bowling in T20's is actually VERY bad. RR of 8.4, which is the highest of all of Australia's pace options bar Stoinis(8.5). He hasn't got the variation required to succeed in the shortest format. Fingers crossed he can develop it; but as of yet he's 12th man behind Stoinis who has shown true grit in the short formats; averaging 65 with the bat.
AREH
Roar Guru
I like it, but I'd strengthen the batting and have Short at the top partnering Finch, and maybe Warner slots in at 4, shuffling everyone else down a place. I think between Stoinis and Maxwell the fifth bowling option is covered enough, and there's also the option of Short too. Warner could add an element of surprise down the order, because he can hit from ball one without needing to get set. He's also got a wealth of experience as an opener, so coming in early if the side is two for nothing isn't a concern. I wouldn't mind seeing similar happen with him in the ODI setup too.
Mitch
Guest
Khawaja Short Lynn Maxwell Warner Carey Agar Nair(if cleared to bowl) Starc/Coulter Nile Tye Stanlake
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Agree with your assessment of Ashton Agar Ronan. He has really surprised on the upside. I didn't have the same raps as others on his ability - I thought he was a bit over rated. But he has proven to be a very smart bowler in the T20 format and has entrenched himself in the team as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather have him in there than Zampa if we were only choosing one spinner. To be honest I don't think Steve Smith gets a gig in this team and would struggle to get a spot in the ODI team. He seems to have forgotten how to break out of the attritional batting style he brought to the Ashes series. You just can't afford to be be going at the slow strike he has and be expected to be handed the captaincy. He needs a stint in the IPL to get his T20 mojo back. I really like the composition of this current Australian T20 side and wouldn't mind seeing the majoprity of them playing in the ODIs as well. Easy to say in hindsight but it was a mistake taking some of the tired Ashes test team into the ODI series when they could have chosen BBL players in form. Hopefully the lesson is learned for next season.
Jordan c
Guest
Ridiculous article.
Ouch
Guest
What's that C next to his name mean then?
spruce moose
Guest
SO, despite the fact that D'Arcy Short has played more T20 cricket recently, earned a fat IPL contract on the basis of his BBL form, he should be the 12th man to David Warner, who's come off the back of 73 runs in 5 innings in ODI's, and 9 runs in two T20I's? Koalas, Magpies, Warner...
spruce moose
Guest
Yes, the ICC only looks at internationals for rankings. Our Lord David Warner is 19. If Finch is fit to play, he should immediately be subbed in for Warner tomorrow and given the captaincy responsibilities.
spruce moose
Guest
Warner is NOT the captain. He's the stand in captain. If Steve Smith isn't being rested, he's the captain. End of story. Captaincy should never be used as a cover for poor form. He's had a poor streak for a while now. He was very ordinary in the tests (dead rubber century on a road), appalling in the ODI's, and two cheap dismissals in the T20's. How much more defence is he entitled to?
spruce moose
Guest
"Because you don’t just throw out high quality proven performers when they are out of touch." Are you joking? That's the credo of the NSP.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
You think making significant changes two weeks before a World Cup is a good idea? Geez... Much better to get players settled into the team well before that. Otherwise you end up with the Cameron White situation this season - someone who knows he's on thin ice right from the start and is therefore terrified of making a mistake. Inevitably leading to poor performances...
jameswm
Guest
Agreed on that 2nd line especially.
jameswm
Guest
I still reckon Nair should be the other spinner picked if his action is cleared, and he's a lot better batsman than Zampa or Swepson, and I think a better fielder too.