Australia’s over-reliance on hitting boundaries was exposed as they lost the ODI series to South Africa 2-1. So which domestic batsmen could potentially improve balance by rotating the strike?
The bans handed to David Warner and Steve Smith forced Australia into a one-paced overhaul, laden with batsmen who rarely look to work the ones and twos, preferring to scores in blocks of four and six.
This makes it too easy for opposition attacks to build groups of dot balls, ratcheting up the pressure on the batsman to break the shackles with a boundary.
Even England, the world’s most attacking ODI side, have Joe Root, who is adept at keeping the scoreboard moving without clattering boundaries.
Across his ODI career, only 36 per cent of Root’s runs have come from boundaries. Meanwhile, Australia’s best ODI accumulator, Smith, scores 39 per cent of his runs in boundaries, a fairly similar rate to predecessors Michael Clarke (37%) and Mike Hussey (37%).
These are the sorts of batsmen who anchor an innings, quietly rotating the strike and guarding their wicket while their more dynamic batting colleagues get after the bowlers.
Is it any wonder, then, that Australia’s lineup is falling apart without a couple of these integral batsmen?
Steve Smith (AFP PHOTO / Theo KARANIKOS)
Smith will surely play such a role in the World Cup. In his absence, veteran Shaun Marsh is performing a role not hugely different, scoring 45 per cent of his runs in boundaries so far in 2018.
It also appears new wicketkeeper Alex Carey is being trialled in a similar post. Carey was promoted to five against South Africa and was one of the few Aussie batsmen who did not constantly follow the pattern of: dot, dot, dot, dot, boundary, dot, dot, dot, dot, boundary.
Carey, who was the second-highest runscorer against SA, with 122 runs at 41, played well within himself as he tried to add some steel to the middle order. The South Australian reined in his attacking instincts, scoring only 28 per cnet of his runs in boundaries.
While I’m not yet sold on Carey as an ODI cricketer, there is sense in his promotion to five to act as a nudge-and-run foil for boundary hitters Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.
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Looking ahead to next year’s World Cup in England, there may be games when Australia need to pick a more aggressive batting lineup. But against the strongest attacks, like SA and India, Australia would look better balanced with Smith, Carey and Shaun Marsh all providing a conservative counterweight to the audaciousness of Maxwell, Stoinis and Warner.
Given Australia’s next ODI series is against India in January, prior to Smith and Warner’s bans being lifted, it would be wise for them to consider picking another more traditional-style batsman in place of a bludgeoner. Four attacking batsmen and three steadier hands – players comfortable working ones and twos – would appear to be an appropriate lineup to face India’s dangerous bowling unit.
A glance at the top runscorers in the recent JLT Cup shows that many of them are reliant on hitting boundaries. Here is the percentage of runs scored by boundaries among the leading runscorers:
Marcus Stoinis – 82%
D’Arcy Short – 74%
Chris Lynn – 71%
Jake Weatherald – 70%
Sam Heazlett – 69%
Jack Edwards – 61%
Callum Ferguson – 51%
Cameron White – 49%
Jake Lehmann – 46%
Ben McDermott – 44%
Peter Handscomb – 43%
Joe Burns – 32%
Joe Burns during a Test match. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Ferguson, Handscomb and Burns are the three best options to join the team tasked with playing relatively cautiously and rotating the strike. Their considerable experience makes them extra appealing looking ahead to the World Cup.
In the past three years, Ferguson has piled up 1700 runs at 57 in one day cricket. With 16 years of List A cricket under his belt, Ferguson has the kind of experience which could be crucial at the World Cup. He also has enjoyed recent success in England, smashing 377 runs at 94 in this year’s Royal London One Day Cup.
Crucially, Ferguson is a flexible 50-over player who has batted everywhere from one to six. That includes a 30-match ODI stint between 2009 and 2011 when he averaged 41 for Australia while batting mostly at five and six. During his ODI career he scored just 38 per cent of his runs from boundaries, which underscores the balance that he could bring.
Handscomb and Burns are similarly adaptable batsmen, both having played a variety of different roles across their List A careers. Either man would be a wise replacement for the series against India and, perhaps, beyond that too.
But Ferguson is the standout. It is extraordinary that he has not played a one-day match for Australia in seven years considering his fantastic ODI record and his consistent dominance of the domestic competition.
The squad I would pick to face India in the ODI series:
1. Aaron Finch
2. Chris Lynn
3. Shaun Marsh
4. Callum Ferguson
5. Alex Carey
6. Marcus Stoinis
7. Glenn Maxwell
8. Pat Cummins
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Adam Zampa
11. Josh Hazlewood
Reserves:
12. Ashton Agar
13. Peter Handscomb
14. Mitchell Marsh
15. Nathan Coulter-Nile
dan ced
Guest
I think Ben Laughlin is a better chance of taking wickets than Tye. Similar type of bowler, has a bit more mongrel about him than Tye too. Consistent performer in Big Bash with Hobart/Adelaide.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
See this why the Australian has been a failure versus winning the last world cup. Here we have Exhibit A. not only do you lie about Maxwell he last took wickets in Jun 2016. He has only bowled since then 21 overs in 23 matches. Maxwell is a free bowling option but has not been used. 22 months ago? So he scored two half centuries in Jan 2017, is that not 22 months ago or does that start in Feb 2017. So even cherry picking the worst stats his average since then is just under 30. You don't even know why Maxwell should be in the team. He should be in the team as the best fielder, runner between the wickets, then batting and bowling. The complete package, talking about his batting indicates no knowledge of one day cricket.
AREH
Roar Guru
Yes it's easy to forget what promising FC numbers Lynn has, probably because of how much he's missed in the last few years. As Michael mentioned above, you don't get a FC average like that from being purely a hard-hitting slogger devoid of any other abilities. Three or so years ago, Lynn was more or less the next in line to slot into the test middle order.
AREH
Roar Guru
True; I'm advocating him for the ODI side with that comment largely, although I can easily see him slotting into the test XI next month if he can make use of the remaining Shield matches until then.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Short and Lynn have played 4 ODI's. I think the expectations on Marsh to score a hundred every innings are absurd, so I am not going to do the same to Short or Lynn. Those expectations come from people not liking a player, not from any rational judging of performance or improvement.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I would be interested to know what Short did to Don not to get the WA treatment.
Ben
Roar Rookie
Maxwell should have had 2 wickets. Carey’s drop catch was one of the reasons we lost the match. He score more runs than finch and Lynn this series. His 37 is more valuable than stoinis 60. Our top and middle order batting is the problem not Maxwell.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Blimey! So because a player had a statistically good season two years ago *and* "at his peak" he's good (iyo) you're *still* picking him? Memorable.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
And I'd opine that batting Lynn any higher than #4 is a mistake as his technique isn't good enough to withstand the new ball. Even a white one. 6-7 is probably his best spot, he can hit through the line there with much more safety.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Will there be a companion piece to this on the fragile Oz bowling? I'm keen to read your justification for picking Zampa for one thing. The ICC's 72nd ranked bowler who's taken 2 expensive wickets in his last 6 games.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
He needs to make a lot more runs to show he’s over that terrible place he was in last year. No way one ton gets him back
maverick
Roar Rookie
Tye is extremely overrated.He has bowled some terrible spells in his short career.He conceded 64 against NZ in a t20i game earlier this year .He even went for 50 against a weak UAE side.And who can forget the battering the English batsman gave him.He just doesn't perform under pressure.
Neil Mattingley
Guest
Don't see Maxwell in my team. Because he's hardly ever still in at the pointy end. Had a look at the stats. When we won the 1999 World Cup, we had Michael Bevan finishing for us. A look at his record reveals he was not out in approx 34% of his ODI innings. Then Mike Hussey filled the role. He was not out in about 28% of his ODI innings. We won the 2003 and 2007 World Cups as well. When we won in 2015, James Faulkner was the finisher. He was not out in 42% of his ODI innings. And Maxwell? He has been not out in about 10% of his ODI innings which doesn't surprise me, because I've seen him get himself out on many occasions - when we needed him to stand up. Don't know much about Ferguson but if people think he can hold an innings together, that would be the most important piece of the batting puzzle as far as I'm concerned.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Maxwell took his last odi wicket in january,2016.But now he is a a bowling allrounder despite having Agar who is more of a bowling allrounder. Not only that the great Glenn Maxwell has scored only one 50 in odi in last 22 months.But most of the people always name him in the first 11 because they think he can take the game away from the opposition with his amazing batting(can'remember when that last happened). It's time to oust Maxwell and give guys like Handcomb,Ferguson or Turner a go.
maverick
Roar Rookie
They are also happy with Maxwell's no contribution with the bat.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Their challenge is to give themselves time at the crease. Their scoring rate is not in question. It's just that they have to stay out in the middle for that.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Oh no. It's supported by the current series.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Nah...I get frustrated that players like Lynn and our three vaunted quicks keep getting games while the most dominant ODD team of the past few years keep providing players just to carry drinks. Folk always demand centuries from the Marshes every time they bat and now the knives are out for Stoinis. Why not hold Lynn and Finch equally accountable?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He could try getting some runs. Always a good career move.
Maxwell Charlesworth
Roar Rookie
Sorry* Shaun Marsh for Head.