Aaron Finch averages only 18 as an opening batsman in the Sheffield Shield yet Australia surprisingly are set to play him at the top of the order in the first Test against Pakistan which starts on Sunday.
Finch looks certain to make his Test debut in Dubai but it won’t be in the middle order where he’s had success in recent years given that he faced the new ball in Australia’s tour match against Pakistan A.
Matt Renshaw was due to open with Finch in that match before he was struck on the helmet while fielding at fine leg and ruled out of the rest of the fixture, with Usman Khawaja replacing him as opener.
Matt Renshaw in the whites. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
It seemed logical that in the Tests that Renshaw would open with either Khawaja or Shaun Marsh – both of whom have done very well in their limited appearances as Test openers.
Khawaja has opened the batting twice in Tests, for scores of 145 and 79no, while Marsh has made 343 runs at 43 at the top of the order.
Instead, Australia appears set to make the shock choice of opening with Finch who has floundered across his eight innings as an opener for Victoria in the Shield, making 148 runs at 18.
That failed stint came across 2013 and 2014 when regular Victorian opener Chris Rogers was promoted to the Test team.
Finch has never again opened for Victoria or in English county cricket.
Victoria quickly realised that Finch, with his leaden footwork and reliance on great hand-eye coordination, was not well suited to facing the new ball.
Instead, his forceful approach was tailor-made for the middle order, where he would be less likely to encounter a moving ball and had greater freedom to take on the bowlers.
Over the past four years, he has settled into a middle order role with Victoria and has rebuilt his first-class career.
He has also batted in the middle order during the 15 county matches he has played during that same period.
When Finch was picked in Australia’s 15-man squad for the Tests against Pakistan it was widely believed he would be batting at either four or five as he does for Victoria and Surrey.
Now it appears that Australia may be looking at him as a potential long-term opener.
Not only would that seem not to suit Finch, who surely would be better off staying in the middle order, but it casts doubt over the short-term futures of the likes of specialist openers Renshaw and Joe Burns.
With banned Test opener Cameron Bancroft to return to cricket in January, and star opener David Warner three months later, there will be a logjam at the top of the order for Australia.
That is yet another reason it would seem more sensible to play Finch in his favoured middle-order position instead of as a makeshift opener.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
If Finch does open on Sunday it will be the latest in a series of bizarre selections for this series against Pakistan.
It still boggles the mind that fading veteran Peter Siddle and greenhorn Brendan Doggett were picked ahead of Chris Tremain who was the leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield over the past three years.
It will be equally confusing if batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who averages 34 in first-class cricket, plays the first test ahead of the likes of Burns and Glenn Maxwell.
Finch is a greatly-improved first-class batsman – there is no doubt about it. He’s also been in astonishing form in white ball cricket over the past year.
There is merit in handing him a debut, but asking him to become a Test opener would be unwise.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Well.....out for 62 on debut and a 142 run partnership...….so far a tick for Finch.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Gee - going early on this - he hasn't batted yet. Now aren't we ignoring that Renshaw was in serious doubt for this test due to yet another concussion - I'd've thought there's no way you could commit the lad to a 5 day test in these conditions with his recent and longer term injury concerns. So - if we accept that - no Renshaw for this match. Then, it's not that silly an idea for Finch to open. Granted these days he's a specialist white ball opener, and even his FC matches in England (where he completely ripped up the domestic T20 comp over there) he was batting #4. For those of us who follow the AFL, concussion is something we are now and in recent years taking far, far more seriously. You don't just shake your head and battle on. It's a serious injury, and repeat concussions have to be managed very carefully. The main question relative to the squad then would be with Renshaw out - then whom else would open? As it is - I hope Finchy can make good of the chance. Yep - it is a bit hard on him, that he doesn't get to debut in test cricket in his preferred role. But let's not write him off before he's had a chance.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
That 'enrich the team' over -on-field performances' grows old very quickly without results. JL should know that and be aiming for a good mix of both. CA is so obviously money-driven, they will demand results and any feel-good mojo JL is looking for will mean stuff all, if they don't find success on the field. Mind you, with 30 being the new 50, who knows what the measure for success will be now. Most of us know what it should be.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"There will be better players that miss out because they won’t enrich the team the way others will." This concept of preferring players with intangible qualities that "enrich" the team over actual on-field performances worries me. Based on your comments of the past, I suspect that if you were a selector in the 1930s, you would have omitted Bradman because he didn't "enrich" the team to your satisfaction. I would strongly prefer the better players with the superior on-field performances over the lesser players who have "enriching" qualities.
Rellum
Roar Guru
While I agree with your last point and that is where I would prefer he play, the rest of your point I can also use in regards to Finch. I actually think he will be under more pressure opening than Marnus would be because of his history. I am not sure how much of a future Finch has either as an opener and we all agree he is better suited to a middle order role and it would be better to try him out there compared to Marnus who is there really for experience. This might be Marnus's only test for quite a long time and with some decent coaching and expectations from the team he would go fine in my opinion. Thi is also an away sereis which will get little coverage in Aus so there is less pressure than a home series. Marnus is a tough character and I think he is better set up technically to handle the openers roles, even in the UAE.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
There hasn't been any Shield since the new regime.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
His ban lifts on 29th (or 28th) of December.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The one thing you can count on with JL is that he knows every player in the country and knows those with both substance of character and ability. He's such a nuffy, he probably knows most grade cricketers, too. It doesn't take long for him to make a bee line to those substantial types. There will be better players that miss out because they won't enrich the team the way others will. How we receive JL's tenure will depend on whether we want the best team possible or just want the best performed 11 players. Give me a solid team every time.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Let's hope your right, Don. What we don't need from Head is three years of him under-performing and weakening our test batting line-up. We barely survived it with Mitch Marsh. For the sake of variety, our selectors are trying every option this test series, it appears. In Head, we have the highly promoted young gun with big wraps, from his age cricket days. In Finch, we have the experienced player with short format pedigree, but with less than inspiring first class credentials. Then in Labuschagne, we have the out of the blue'', 'long odds, 'most didn't know he was running ' bolter. I hope JL knows what he is doing. Out of respect for his application and heart as a test player and his passion for the baggy green, he deserves the chance to lay his new foundation. However, if this is his foundation, its an unusual mix and some will 'worry about it cracking. Certainly seems an unusual approach. If Renshaw plays, our top will be either debutantes or players with test experience, playing out of position. JL could be a genius...
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Really? I'm surprised by that Rellum. Finch is clearly locked in to open and Australia have two other guys who are very experience and have very good records as Test openers in SMarsh and Khawaja. There's no need to heap extra pressure on Labuschagne by making him open. There's also very little chance that Labushcagne has a future as a Test opener in the next few years given the massive competition for that spot - Warner, Renshaw, Bancroft, Burns and Finch. Much better to see how he can go in the middle order - a position where he's actually likely to be able to build a Test career.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I'd say there's zero chance of Warner batting at 6 in the next Ashes. He'll be back at the top of the order alongside one of Renshaw or Bancroft.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I haven't actually seen an exact date for when the bans end - whether they started from the day the bans were handed down (March 28) or from the day they last played for Australia (March 25). In either case surely there's no way Bancroft will be back for the Boxing Day Test given he won't have played any red ball cricket in 9 months.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I'm not sold on Bancroft as a Test opener, he was awful against England, but he was impressive in South Africa against a truly awesome bowling attack. Bancroft was Australia's leading runscorer in the first 3 Tests before he got banned. That's a big achievement for a rookie opener away from home against such elite bowling.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Bancroft did well in the 2nd innings of his first test (Brisbane), then was ordinary in the next 4 Ashes tests. However in SA he scored 5 and 53 in the 1st test (propped up our 2nd innings), 38 and 24 in the 2nd, and 77 (propped up our 1st innings) and 26 in the difficult 3rd test. 223 at 37 in that difficult series. He was on an upward trend.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I hope you're right
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Ok, maybe I grouped too many players in one sentence. It's not a critical aspect of my comment.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Siddle? Sayers? Have you seen the Aussie quicks available? You haven't even got Cummins, the best of them all.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It's quite likely that Warner and Bancroft might not be able to get back over the current contingent if they turn it on. Warner may never get back.
Brian
Guest
Bancroft played 8 tests last summer and average 30.92. Its funny how once banned he's a certainty, he was due to get dropped for Renshaw before the suspension
Giri Subramanian
Roar Guru
The only spot Finch can fit into in the current team is at the top. Renshaw not being available means that someone else has to open with Khawaja. In UAE the new ball does not do much and it will be easier to bat against the new ball against the pacers. Finch will provide that for Australia. If he gets off to a good start, Australia can easily divert the pressure back on to the opposition. I am sure that this is just a stop gap solution as I don't see Finch a long term Test prospect for Australia. Joe Burns should have been picked but he was not which is sad.