Last night, Aaron Finch was just ten runs short of becoming the first Australian to score three successive ODI centuries.
The Australian captain was dismissed for 90 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, following his 116, and unbeaten 153, in the first two internationals.
For the record Kumar Sangakkara shows the way with four successive ODI tons in 2015 from six batsmen with three – Zaheer Abbas in 1983, Saeed Anwar (1993), Herschelle Gibbs (2002), AB de Villiers (2010), and Quinton de Kock with Ross Taylor, both in 2014.
But the upside was another series win after coming from two-down against India to win 3-2 last month.
Winning six overseas ODIs on the trot is the perfect build-up to defend the Cricket World Cup that starts in England on May 30, when the Australians will be bolstered by the return of Steve Smith, and David Warner, from their 12-month suspensions.
But their return poses more questions, such as who will give way from a very successful side, and who will open the batting?
Last night, Usman Khawaja’s golden run came to an end with a six-ball duck when he needed just three runs to be the leading ODI run-getter in 2019.
Virat Kohli shows the way with 611 runs at 55.54 from Khawaja’s 609 at 55.36, Ross Taylor’s 593 at 74.12, as is Peter Handscomb’s 464 at 51.55 and Rohit Sharma’s 556 at 42.76.
Finch is right up there as well with 542 at 54.20, but he had far too many dot balls in his 90 last night placing unwanted pressure on the rest of the order – 74 dot balls in of a team total of 153 is far too high.
Aaron Finch of Australia bats. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Effectively, Finch faced a tick over 12 overs without troubling the scorer.
As a result Australia made just 266 from their 50 overs, a total that won’t win too many World Cup games.
And it could have been a lot worse had Glenn Maxwell not raised his strike rate dramatically.
Early in his dig he had five off 15, and 12 off 23, but he came home with a wet sail to finish with 71 off 55 with eight fours, and surprisingly just one six.
But it didn’t matter as the remarkable Pat Cummins took up the slack with three quick wickets to have Pakistan’s top order back in the shed for just 16 runs, and they never recovered to be beaten by 80 runs.
Cummins finished with 3-24, taking his 2019 ODI stats to 17 at 14.35 in keeping with his status as the reigning Allan Border Medal holder.
Not to be outdone, leggie Adam Zampa returned a career-best 4-43, and in the process stamped himself as the number one Australian ODI spinner for the World Cup.
Australia’s Adam Zampa in action. (AAP Image/SNPA, John Cowpland)
Most teams are predicting to take two recognised spinners into World Cup games with the wickets expected to turn, but Australia will have to rely on part-time tweakers to support Zampa, like Maxwell and Finch.
Maxwell made a last ditch bid to be in the XI with his 71, as it looks like he’ll be in the mix with Shaun Marsh, and Marcus Stoinis, for two spots.
Their respective 2019 results are Marsh 369 runs at 52.71, Stoinis 236 at 39.33, and Maxwell 290 at 32.22.
On paper the top side looks like – Warner, Finch, Khawaja, Smith, Marsh, Handscomb to keep, Maxwell, Cummins, Starc, Jhye Richardson if his dislocated shoulder comes good, or Josh Hazlewood, and Zampa.
Meaning Stoinis could be the one to dip out, when he’s potentially one of the most dangerous batsmen in ODI world cricket.
But what he lacks is consistency.
Having said that he’ll be a mighty handy bench-sitter if injury, or loss of form, hits the top side.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
You’re serious aren’t you?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
No it doesn't, it needs a smarter & cooler head.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
Chasing 12 an over needs more improvisation than chasing 6 an over.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
You know I didn't say that! If he's in, as an experienced 30yo, then surely he has to take the responsibility to see the team home. Maybe I'm living in the past and thinking what Bevan, Rhodes, Hussey and Dhoni did for their teams by deciding that being there at the end of the innings was best for the team, rather than leaving it to a bowler for an over and a half. Nobody is suggesting he can't get beaten and dismissed, but he has to know by now that his straight drive will not only give great return, but if need be he can readjust to go again next ball. His premeditated step to 90cm outside either side of the stumps playing cross arm slogs certainly aren't working and aren't as productive as his straight drives.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
Yeah, it’s pretty easy scoring 71 off 51
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yep saw that, even a T20 game needs an anchor, that’s what allows guys to come out and swing from the ring with their latest reverserampscoop. It’s even more important though that the 71 is from the last 55 if you’re batting down the list, otherwise when you got yourself out and left 40 from 21, then someone has to come in cold and see the TEAM home. Maxwell played one of the best straight drives in memory in the last ODI. Then played one of the stupidest cross arm swipes and eventually gave all three stumps to the bowler. Who knows how consistent he could’ve been if he hit the ball he saw, rather than the shot he’s decided to play anyway. He’s a handy lower order cameo bat and bog ordinary pumpkin tosser with ball, but he isn’t a 1st name on any sheet other than Fitzroy – Doncaster.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Coulda sworn the figures show Khawaja as one of 2 international players exchanging highest aggregate for 2019. Reckon Kohli will be 1st on their sheet, think Khawaja deserves the same honour for Australia. Then Cummins with ball & bat, then Finch with his recent winning Captaincy & runs. I read an article the other day where deKock was commended for his step up from flashy 70's to matchwinning 120's. Seems like a fair assessment criteria for a player being a must have. Maxwell is in reasonable form, but as we've all seen with him, he can get himself out of form just as quickly.
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
You're a sad little creature jimbo.
James
Roar Rookie
And the Pakistan team was second rate!
Barney
Roar Rookie
Barney
Roar Rookie
Yes I bet he would like to play against a very under strength Pakistan team every game
David Lord
Expert
Paul, Finch got lucky, and he was the first to agree he was frustrated he didn't turn over the strike more often, he kept finding fieldsmen with deadly accuracy. And don't dismiss Pat Cummins' 3-9 as being the equal of Handscomb and co, Cummings had to pick up the slack where the batsmen nearly blew it. You can bet on 266 not winning too many World Cup games, and Finch will need to regularly feed Warner the strike in the Australian games.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
I just want to highlight to the knockers just how valuable Maxwell is.
Paul
Roar Guru
David, please read my comment before getting all uppity. I said your comments were a "false premise". In other words, the basis for your point is weak at best. "For starters, 266 is not a winning score, only 55 percent are successful". In other words, sides win more games than they lose if they make this score and in this instance, on this night, on this pitch, against this team, it was clearly a winning score. " Pat Cummins made it a winning score by claiming 3-9, dismissing three of the top four Pakistan batsmen early." For sure, he did his job, just as Handscomb did his, Zampa did his and especially Maxwell did his, by really accelerating when it was needed. It doesn't matter who got them across the line, it doesn't matter there were 153 deliveries not scored off, Australia won this game. This issue of too many dot balls only becomes an issue when sides lose or when players are put under regular, unreasonable pressure to up the scoring rate because players above them in the order have not made best use of the deliveries they've faced. If you made the statement in your piece that "Finch failed to score off 74 balls, which is unacceptable, IF the side loses or IF this becomes a habit, putting unreasonable pressure on the other batsmen", I would have applauded your insight.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
That there makes the case for Finch to bat at 3 and UK to open. UK is better than Finch starting against seamers and Finch is better than UK starting against spin. Allowing UK several overs to get his eye in before the spinners start and Finch being possibly coming in against spin instead of a seamer gives a much better balance to this side. Unless Smith can emulate Warner’s form on return I think he should sit behind Handscomb, Marsh, Maxy, in the top 6.
David Lord
Expert
Insult, read my answer to Paul just above, you bet I'm serious.
David Lord
Expert
Paul, you say my comments are false, that couldn’t be further from the truth. How about doing some homework before you start throwing stones in glass houses. For starters, 266 is not a winning score, only 55 percent are successful. Pat Cummins made it a winning score by claiming 3-9, dismissing three of the top four Pakistan batsmen early. Finch was the main problem in posting just 266. He was dismissed on the fourth ball of the 42nd over. You have rated Finch a boundary hitter, and that’s a fair call, yet in 136 deliveries he hit one six, and five fours – very uncharacteristic. More importantly, he faced 74 dot balls in a team total of 153, so the other 79 dot balls were spread among the other seven Australian batsmen who took strike. Bottom line Paul, it’s your claims that are proven false.
Paul
Roar Guru
David, I just had another look at the point you're trying to make and it's a completely false premise. Pakistan bowled 302 deliveries yet Australia only managed to score off 149 of them but still posted a winning score. Why weren't any of your comments directed at the rest of the team who contributed to this approach to batting you find unacceptable? I watched an over where Maxwell faced three balls and his partner faced three balls. Maxwell went 6, 6, 1 then the other guy hit the ball to fieldsman, but they got 13 off the over. The commentators were all over it, saying what a good display of batting it was, but in your eyes, they failed because of the 3 dot balls. Some guys accumulate, eg Handscomb, Carey, etc and others hit boundaries, eg Finch, Khawaja, etc. No doubt each group would like to be able to do more of what the other does, but that's not the case and more to the point, it doesn't matter as long as they're making winning totals.
Paul
Roar Guru
Viv, I don't think Finch was chasing personal milestones in that innings, otherwise he wouldn't have played the shot he did to get out. I think he's not in 100% top form just yet - maybe 70 or 80% of the way there. Couple that with the circumstances of the innings where he lost two early partners, so had to build, then when he might have wanted to get on with it, lost Handscomb, then again when he wanted to push on, lost Stoinis. I have no doubt if he was in top form, he would have got a move on, but he's still getting there, so he'll need Maxwell and others to get the innings moving for sure until he's back at his peak.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
I’m happy to have Finch in the side. The thing is, batting in ODI’s is relatively easy- the field is spread, no slips, capped overs for bowlers etc etc. What makes it a challenge is scoring at a brisk rate. Take that away and most could bat all day.