Australian captain Aaron Finch made a welcome return to form last night, while Usman Khawaja cracked his first ODI ton as the tourists beat India in the third ODI in Ranchi.
Yet another ODI century from Indian megastar Virat Kohli (123 from 95 balls) kept India on target to chase down Australia’s total of 313, but the visiting bowlers held their nerve to close out the game.
Finch had entered this match in the deepest form trough of his international career, having averaged just 11 with the bat from his 17 white ball matches for Australia since the end of his debut Test series in October.
This situation was particularly tricky for Australia due to his status as captain and the paucity of alternative leadership options. Australian coach Justin Langer had repeatedly shown public support for Finch over the past two months, backing him to regain touch.
Finch last night repaid that faith, to an extent, by compiling a well-paced 93. This innings, of course, does not guarantee Finch will suddenly return to his best, but beyond the number of runs he scored there were some great signs.
The first difference I noticed in Finch’s batting last night was his balance. The Victorian has been hugely troubled by straight deliveries in recent months because of the way he has been overbalancing, with his head falling towards the off side.
Finch’s nemesis during this period has been Jasprit Bumrah. The superstar Indian quick has flummoxed Finch with his unusual angle back in to right handers. Last night, from his second ball against Bumrah, Finch unfurled what may be his signature shot – the back foot punch through cover.
In his pomp, Finch pastes the ball through the covers in this manner the moment bowlers give him the slightest room.
The true indication of just how well Finch is in form, however, is his straight driving. When you see Finch’s head still and over the ball before he sends it rushing back past the bowler you know he is in sync. Inside his first half hour at the crease the 32-year-old played a couple of beautiful straight drives off both Bumrah and Indian quick Mohammed Shami.
Then came on the other Indian bowler who so often befuddles Finch – left arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Finch promptly cracked Kuldeep for two fours from his first five deliveries. From there Finch found a fine rhythm and constructed a 193-run opening stand with Khawaja (104 from 113 balls).
The left hander, who looked supreme before gifting his wicket in the second ODI, once more timed the ball beautifully. Khawaja played the quicks with confidence and was assertive against spin, using his reverse sweep to frustrate left arm spinner Ravi Jadeja. Khawaja was dropped early in his innings while playing that same shot but went on to make the most of this chance.
Usman Khawaja cobbled together a century. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
With 192 runs at 64 so far in this series he is Australia’s highest runscorer, and is building a strong case for inclusion in their World Cup squad. When Finch was finally dismissed, Australia made the bold and wise move of promoting Glenn Maxwell.
The dynamic all-rounder was running amok on 47 from 31 balls when he was run out by a magic piece of teamwork from gun fieldsman Jadeja and slick wicketkeeper MS Dhoni.
When Kuldeep then dismissed Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb in the space of three balls Australia had lost 4/24. While Maxwell was cutting loose a total of even 380 had looked possible, but Australia had to make do with 5/313. On a great batting pitch and a fast outfield, that total looked very gettable for an outstanding and vastly-experienced Indian batting line-up.
But India’s task quickly became far more challenging as their top order was rattled by Australia for the third consecutive game. In the first ODI Australia reduced India to 4/99, in the second match they had them 3/75, and then yesterday it was 3/27.
Whereas in the first two ODIs Australia could not capitalise on these strong positions, yesterday they finished the job. Opening bowlers Pat Cummins (3/37) and Jhye Richardson (3/37) were outstanding, applying huge pressure with the new ball.
Then, leg spinner Adam Zampa underlined his natural wicket taking ability by claiming three huge scalps – Kohli, MS Dhoni and Kedhar Jadhav. Zampa’s dismissal of Kohli, bowled with a wrong ‘un, all but killed off India’s challenge.
This victory continued an impressive limited overs tour of India so far for Australia, who have a 3-2 win-loss record.
Ben
Guest
Ronan I once again point to Khawaja having played only 25 ODIs, Khawaja also has better overall List A stats. And after tonight I think we are starting to see Marsh's little 12 month stint coming to a close, he's simply too inconsistent.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
Khawaja has no place in any team in LO format unless he is opening. His strength is scoring boundaries while field restrictions are on as he has showed in past bbls as well. Yesterday he scored only 11 fours in his hundred, remarkably he had already hit 7 of them when he was on 29 that means only 1 run and rest of them in fours, it also points at his difficulty to score boundaries in middle overs so he clearly is a big no as a middle order. Given he played his last odi series at number 4 and probably is first time tried at opening slot I don’t think it is fair to compare his strike rate when he hasn’t batted at his preffered position in most of his one day international games.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
My 15 for world cup Warner Finch Smith Maxwell Stoinis Christian Phillips (wk) Handscomb(as reserve wk) Khawaja Zampa Lyon Starc Cummins Jha Richardson Coulternile
Spinosum
Roar Rookie
Hi jamesb, I would drop S.Marsh for Wade and Handscome for Middleton, just a gut feeling.
Spinosum
Roar Rookie
Hi Ronan, I think Pat Cummins has done that in previous matches.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Looking at their strike rates Khawaja’s will get better almost definitely, while Marsh probably won’t." Yet the stats there show that Khawaja's hasn't been getting better and Marsh's has. "IMO Khawaja was the better investment at the start of the England series last year." Since the start of that series Marsh has averaged 55 in ODIs at a strike rate of 96 with no less than 4 tons from just 12 games.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Sometimes you have to tamp them down with a stick. Messy.
Rob
Guest
When you look at Stoinis’s average of 44 at SR 95. then he should be considered as our number 3-4 batsman. It’s far superior to Shaun Marsh.
Ben
Guest
Ronan, Marsh has played 65 ODIs, Khawaja 24. That's certainly cause for consideration when looking at their Strike Rates. Khawaja's will get better almost definitely, while Marsh probably won't. Also Khawaja has never played more than 6-7 ODIs in a row so that's going to effect a batsman's rithym. IMO Khawaja was the better investment at the start of the England series last year.
Rob
Guest
Personally not a fan of moving players up and down the order as I feel it can muck them up with mixed messages. Send Maxi in and say slog them puts us straight back in the wrong place again. Anyway from my experience floaters can be embarrassing.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Geee... DRS is really looking good. LOL, our reliance on technology sucks
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Maxi Maxi Maxi Maxi.... loved it
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Okey dokey, I can live with that. As long as they don't just lock him in at 7 no matter what.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"We really screwed ourselves by playing Marsh over Khawaja.... his (Marsh) snail like strike rate (81.60) just unbalances the team." ODI strike rates in their last ten matches - Marsh 93, Khawaja 81 ODI career strike rates - Marsh 81, Khawaja 81
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Personally I wouldn't have Carey in the side at all because he has no natural, suitable position anywhere in the Aussie batting lineup. But I've said repeatedly that if he has to be in the side then I think the position he's most suited to is at 5 playing as an accumulator, tasked with running hard and working 1s and 2s while other guys attacking around him. This is the exact same batting role I think Handscomb could play much better if he was keeping.
Rob
Guest
Ronan the 4 in the circle are usually unable to prevent any singles if the batsmen are smart and not continually hitting the ball to them. I think batsmen walking out of the sheds trying to clear the rope or bash it from ball 1 is our problem. It’s certainly not how you get the best out of Maxi. Dohni is the best finisher in world Cricket with a SR 87. He doesn’t slog but is exceptional running between the wickets. Kohl keeps the ball on the ground and SR. 90. I would rather a controlled Maxwell 100 at SR 120 hitting the ball along the ground than 45 of 30 balls( equal share of balls off last 10 overs). I strongly believe the day we stop asking Maxwell to be a slogger and bat with control and keep the ball on the ground is the day we get the best out of his ability.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
As I've said Australia should be flexible with Maxwell and promote him up the order when they're in a very strong position, like they did yesterday. Otherwise I think his best role is coming in at 7 in the final 15 overs and looking to blast 45 from 30 balls, something no other Aussie can do with such ease.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I thought 313 was an excellent score even though a lot more looked possible at one point. I don’t think the pitch was that easy. The pitch got lower and slower later in each innings and it was hard to get the ball on the stumps away, e.g when bowlers like Shami, Cummins, Richardson and even Maxwell were bowling. Agree Finch looked like he was starting to get on top of his problem with ball coming in, and showed guts in going up the gears and deciding that Kedar Yadhav had to go. Khawaja also looked a lot better and Maxwell almost on the same plane as Kohli, who was unbelievable. Actually thought Stoinis and Carey did a reasonable job of scoring at the end when the ball was keeping low. Fielding also important- Maxwell’s catch of Dhawan compared with Dhawan’s drop of a much easier one off Khawaja. Carey had a bit of an iron gloves performance missing a catch and possible stumping off Maxwell, so not sure he is worth that much more in that position than, say, using Handscomb as keeper and picking another allrounder or batsman.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
What would happen if Maxi was batting at 7 and we only lose 4 wickets? We'd probably have a decent score I suppose but we wouldn't have had the benefit of Maxwells contribution at all. It's probably not that likely to happen but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I can certainly see what you're saying Ronan but I have to ask where would you bat Carey then. Would you put him up the order a bit further or down at 8/9. I agree he hasn't got the power game we associate with no 7 and that's why I wouldn't actually have him in the side at all. Josh Phillipe would be my choice as keeper but let's face it, that ain't gunna happen. .. As far as Smith is concerned, well, he's a class act and if anyone can adapt it's him. .. Hmm, maybe Warner at 6 could work as well.