A commanding batting effort by Australia as they won the opening ODI against Pakistan yesterday has increased the pressure on David Warner and Steve Smith to shine in the IPL to secure their World Cup spots.
Warner and Smith will return to high-level action in the IPL today and tomorrow respectively in the wake of Australia winning their fourth ODI on the trot thanks to Aaron Finch (116) and Shaun Marsh (91*).
Given his status as captain, Finch has now all but secured his World Cup spot by averaging 46 across Australia’s six ODIs in India and the UAE this month. Marsh, meanwhile, was a shock omission from the final ODI in India but yesterday proved his class once more to take his ODI tally to 760 runs at 58 over the past year.
With Usman Khawaja (521 runs at 58) and Peter Handscomb (417 runs at 52) also in hot ODI form in 2019, there is suddenly a logjam of contenders to bat in Australia’s top order. Because Australia like to have two batting all-rounders to share ten overs, and with Alex Carey seemingly bedded in as wicketkeeper, that leaves six batsmen likely competing for just four spots in the World Cup line-up.
Finch’s position still looked shaky until he constructed a calm and impressive ton yesterday. While it’s still far too early to declare that the 32-year-old is back in form, it was notable that Finch’s timing and balance were the best they have been in six months.
So often across his white-ball career, when Finch is searching for touch, he starts to try to murder the ball. By becoming overly forceful in his stroke play he loses his shape.
From the start of his innings yesterday there were good signs Finch was trusting himself to play touch strokes instead of just belligerent ones. He executed a couple of delicate leg glances to straight deliveries which were targeting his stumps, presumably because of the manner in which he has struggled so badly against this line of late.
Australia’s chase of 281 on a sluggish Sharjah deck initially looked as if it could be tricky. Then Finch and Khawaja gave Australia a dashing start, putting on 63 in 11.1 overs before the skipper and Marsh constructed a 172-run stand that all but sewed up the match.
Khawaja again looked in superb nick, as did Handscomb, who took pressure off Marsh at the end of the innings by scurrying to 30* from 27 balls. Once more Handscomb managed to score at a swift rate without relying on boundaries, which accounted for just eight of his runs.
Australia’s Usman Khawaja. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
The Victorian’s versatility is hugely appealing. He has looked at ease anywhere from three to five in the order and has variously been either calm in a crisis, busy milking ones and twos when his batting partner is dominating, or capable of being the dominator when necessary.
Earlier Australia’s spinners did a good job on a pitch that offered limited turn and bounce. Off spinner Nathan Lyon in particular was outstanding after being handed the major challenge of bowling in the power play.
Lyon came on after just six overs and in his second over grabbed the massive wicket of Imam ul-Haq, the prolific opener who has scored five tons in his first 22 ODIs. His opening spell of 1-21 from six overs put the brakes on the Pakistani innings. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell also bowled tidily before taking some tap later in the innings and is beginning to build some handy form with the ball heading towards the World Cup.
Coming off a fantastic tour of India, leg spinner Adam Zampa (0-45 from ten overs) again bowled well and was unlucky to go wicketless. Quicks Jhye Richardson (1-64 from eight overs) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-61 from ten overs) were both patchy, but Pakistan still ended with a below-par total.
Australia will face Pakistan in the second ODI tomorrow at the same time as Warner makes his IPL comeback for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Andre Leslie
Roar Guru
It's noticeable how high the averages are for our One Day players... when you then compare it to their Test averages. I guess it is an average difference of 5-7runs for most players. I think there are a few factors: I think that the white ball doesn't swing for as long or as late... and that does mean run-scoring is easier. Also, pitches are prepared in One Dayers to be good for 'entertainment' ... (ie. easy batting) but not to last 5 days.
Paul
Roar Guru
Chris Ronan put together an article today suggesting Warner bat don the prder. I'd written one last night suggesting Warner should bat 7. If that's the case, Smith might be more of a certainty for the side due to his bowling. Stoinis is the weak link at present and I think Smith & Finch could fill his bowling shoes at a pinch, given Stoinis has bowled less than 5 overs per game in his last 6.
JamesH
Roar Guru
He also gives them the option to play Lyon as the second spinner if they want to. Take Stoinis out - so that the 5th and 6th bowling options are spin - and they will probably feel compelled to play three quicks. Stoinis does give Australia a very handy option when there is something in the wicket because he is a hit-the-pitch bowler. He was targeted in India though. On the roads in England Maxwell looks like he'll be the more effective option.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think there is no question about Smith getting a WC "squad" place. It may be that they struggle to fit him into the team with the existing players firing, but unless he picks up another injury I can't see him missing the 15.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I feel like they've put all there eggs in the Stoinis bucket. They basically have Stoinis and Maxwell as 5th and 6th bowlers, which is reasonable. Can't drop one and expect the other two have to bowl all 10 overs with Finch as the only real other option if someone gets some tap. They really want that genuine 6th bowling option. And really, they haven't been playing any other options. Stoinis bowling efforts have been pretty hit and miss too. More often than not he's got quite a bit of tap himself. But it's hard to see him getting dropped as they don't really have other options unless they make a real left-field pick of someone who hasn't played in the ODI team recently.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Don't forget that Don Bradman scored 100 off three 8-ball overs at Glebe Oval in Bowral that is big enough to be used for NSW second XI games.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Never used to be the rope - 20 metres in......imagine Dessie Haynes and Vic Richards racking up the 100s these days!!
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
A lot of players are susceptible to good swing bowling - and that's the danger that openers face in ODIs - where you want to go hard early. The main thing is - to have the 'touch', confidence and better body positioning/footwork/balance etc which he seems to have got going now. The recent ODI form line is 0,37,93,0,27,116,153*.....426 suddenly from 6 hits with 2 ducks as really the only blemishes - and a record of converting 5 starts into 3 90 plus scores. You'd take that in a tournament!!
Rellum
Roar Guru
That was a comment was more towards the anti-Marsh fans out there. I was a bit shocked when there was talk of him missing out.
Peter Warrington
Guest
genuine question. is is it just me or is there just about a century scored by someone on each side just about every ODI these days? am i dreaming it, or are top order averages going through the roof? if this is the case, what is the value of the runs? where does strike rate come into it? I mean, you can't argue seriously that Finch Khawaja or SMarsh are better bats than a G Chappell etc. Their test efforts prove it. So why is is it so common for top order bats to get the runs - decks? field settings? restrictions? once in a generation batting talent? lack of bowling talent? just the natural evolution of the game post-T20? batsman realizing 300 balls is a long time? i haven't got the time to do a big research piece but I can recall so many tons in games Australia has played in recently, but few really big scores? whether any of this means anything, I am unsure. tell you after the world Cup??? if true...?!
Andre Leslie
Roar Guru
Finch has really turned it around - no doubt. Credit to him for getting through a tough phase. He has done well in England before, but I'm still concerned about him dealing with the new ball there during the CWC. He's been very susceptible to the inswinger onto his pads and stumps recently.... although it sounds like he has adjusted his technique a little. What do people think?
JamesH
Roar Guru
They won’t drop Stoinis. It would leave them no cover if Maxwell or a bowler got some tap. I reckon Marsh is the most likely to make way for Warner.
Ben
Guest
This year, from 9 matches Finch is striking at 76, which is quite poor. Prior to this year his career strike rate was around the 90/91 mark though. But he's never been a Jason Roy or Jos Butler that's for sure, people like to exaggerate his scoring rate.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
I wonder if Finch could move down to 7 and play that big hitting role towards the end. I remember he batted 5 for Australia in 3 or 4 T20 games about a year ago and he was smashing the ball to all parts of the boundary from ball 1. It keeps him away from the new ball as well which he’s had troubles with lately. Maybe a line up like this is also an option Warner Khawaja Smith Handscomb Stoinis Maxwell Finch
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Marsh is absolutely locked in for the World Cup squad, he has really stood up in the absence of Smith and Warner and shown he can carry the batting lineup. Marsh was bolted on in Sharjah for what would have been his 5th ton in his last 15 ODIs.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It also can't be discounted that Smith is just an out and out star who has succeeded time and again in massive games of international cricket. There's a confidence and a knowledge gained from that the likes of Handscomb and SMarsh don't have. Guys with the kind of pedigree and accomplishments Smith boasts tend to find a way to get the job done under extreme pressure. First and foremost, however, Smith needs to show good form in the IPL.
Paul
Roar Guru
The only possible changes to this lineup involve Smith and Starc, I reckon. It would be hard to leave out S Marsh if Smith comes back and doesn't score runs and S Marsh continues as he did yesterday, while Starc needs to show early on, he's not going to give batsmen width to free their arms. It was noticeable how both Pakistan & Indian batsmen scored pretty easily when the ball was even a fraction wide of the stumps, so Starc has to come back bowling very good lines.
Paul
Roar Guru
Dave, the IPL "litmus test" as you describe it is to confirm what sort of form Smith's in, rather than to decide if he gets a WC squad place. The leadup games in England and the early WC games will start to shape the side, bearing in mind the effect different conditions & grounds may have on the makeup of the team. This is why Stoinis gets a look in; Australia wants two batsmen/all rounders but I agree with you, he's not done a lot right in comparison to other guys in the team. I also think you need to be a little careful about Smith's recent international ODI form. You mentioned his last 7 innings, but 5 of those innings were against England when he'd just led Australia to an Ashes series win. He was clearly in really poor shape mentally to play and, in hindsight probably should not have done so, but he was also captain of the team, so couldn't just step aside. I expect big things from him over the coming months
Paul
Roar Guru
In fairness to Finch, he's hasn't had to go quicker, Brainstrust, certainly not in the past 4 games anyway.
Craig
Guest
It’s an interesting squad and we almost have the blokes scoring runs at the wrong time. It would have almost been nice if Finch had failed, realistically he should’ve been dropped before the Indian series but now he’s scored some runs he has to stay in. People are saying Marsh won’t be there but he’s been our best ODI bat over the last 12 months, including runs in England. Khawaja was the easy one to drop but after some runs in India he’s worthy of a place. Stoinis has to be under pressure. Carey, only due to the other blokes performing is also looking shaky.