It’s taken some time and for his best mate to land the role, but finally Glenn Maxwell has a captain that understands his value to Australian cricket.
In Aaron Finch, the enigmatic Maxwell has a leader who respects him, his opinions and his approach to the game. Finch’s appointment has allowed the all-rounder to thrive in an environment where he’s no longer walking on eggshells, questioning every move.
And it’s paid immediate dividends. Maxwell recently took his first ever five-wicket haul for Lancashire in the County Championship, a haul arguably not possible without the faith shown by Finch in ODI cricket.
In the 16 matches Finch has captained Australia since taking over from Tim Paine, Maxwell has bowled 79 overs. In the 16 games prior to Finch’s appointment he bowled just 11.
His form with the ball gives Australia flexibility in an otherwise rigid World Cup line-up. Should Marcus Stoinis’ lacklustre form continue with the bat, Australia may choose to get ten overs out of Maxwell as the fifth bowler.
Through this they could play both Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh rather than picking between the two. And while that would be a risk, it’s a responsibility Maxwell can handle.
Glenn Maxwell. (Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
But it’s not just the all-rounder’s bowling that has improved under Finch. Speaking with Gerard Whateley on Wednesday morning, it was evident he was more relaxed in the national environment with Finch at the helm.
“I think we are (good for each other)” Maxwell said. “We have some really good chats on and off the field.
“I think it’s nice for him to have someone that’s 100 per cent honest with him regardless of what the game situation is or how each of our games are going. We certainly don’t fluff about when we’re talking to each other. It’s sometimes hard to take criticism but when it’s coming from your best mate you generally listen.”
The pair go back a long way. Former housemates in Melbourne, Maxwell followed Finch over to Yorkshire in 2015 for a winter stint in the UK and was MC at Finch’s wedding last year.
“He’s someone who’s always been there for me,” Maxwell said in 2015.
“Since I first came to the Victorian squad, for some reason he took a liking to me early on and really took me under his wing and made that transition into the Victorian line-up a lot easier.”
Aaron Finch (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The relationship, moreover, isn’t beneficial just to Maxwell. Finch is a collaborative captain who takes on suggestions and is continually willing to learn – something Justin Langer has commented on several times. Through this he values Maxwell’s tactical nous, something that came to the fore during his Melbourne Stars captaincy this summer.
“If he’s asking for advice about a situation in the game while we’re out there in the field, I’ll generally give my two cents, and he can make his evaluation as captain from there. I think we work really well together and hopefully we can continue that bond for the World Cup.”
More than anything, though, Finch gives Maxwell confidence. Despite his outward conviction, Maxwell needs regular reaffirmation of his real value. Finch provides this and perhaps inadvertently gives his mate a sense of belonging.
“There’s a bit of trust within the team to play my role,” Maxwell said. “It feels like I’ve got a certain role at the moment which is a nice feeling … I’ve definitely gone through stages in the last 12 months where I doubted whether I’d even be there.”
Under Steve Smith, Maxwell never truly felt at home. Infamously told to train smarter and reprimanded by Australian leadership for off-the-cuff remarks about a lack of batting opportunities at Victoria, he felt out of place. He was the creative kid wound in and told to conform.
But Finch knows the potential benefits to Australian cricket in letting Maxwell express himself. And given his raw ability, it could prove the difference in Australia lifting the World Cup on 14 July at Lord’s.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
You should've taken your own advice below and stopped talking.
Peter Warrington
Guest
Just to clarify - you don’t have to believe he should be picked again/now to believe that he never got a fair go in the past, especially in17-18. I oscillate. He could have a Martyn epoch and bat well for 4 years, dominate at 5 or 6. If they prefer younger guys who can bat - Head or Patterson etc - fair enough. If they pick hackers like Labuschagne or even older not quite good enough (S Marsh), I will spew. That they picked Finch is bizarre but so it goes. That they preferred Maddison at that time shows you why M Waugh should never have been let near the table.
Peter Warrington
Guest
it's fine, i like it up me, as long as it's scientific! Graeme Watson another never given the right chances
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
More chances than fellow Victorian Jamie Siddons got. I'm no fan of Maxwell, but it's a site where members can voice opinion. I'm always willing to listen to other's opinions too. Other than mathematics nearly everything else has more than one side to it. If voicing a counter opinion is considered contrary by some I'll wear it, it's more engaging than just ticking posts.
Rob
Guest
Watson actually averaged 40.98 opening the bat and averaged 35 with the ball. Mark Waugh averaged 41.8 and 41 with the ball. Sir Ian Botham averaged 33.5 with the bat and 28.4 with the ball.
Peter Warrington
Guest
yep. a ripper of a chance. are you like this all the time or do you just like to be contrary, or just hate Maxwell?
Peter Warrington
Guest
OMG your injuries are an insult. I can't take your jibber any more.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
So you think a guy who has no pedigree in the top 4, except for 300 balls in one Shield game has the selectors believing he's the go to man for the Australian Test top 4? Uh huh!
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
And he's the never picked spare because.....? A player who is in form and meets the criteria the selectors want, would actually be chosen. It seems as much about Dean Jones & Greg Matthews syndrome.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Averaging 40.31 in Shield from a 100 or so outings, how do we count on someone who's already 30 to play harder cricket? Langer said only a couple a months ago that the "selectors are struggling because the batsmen knocking on the door of the Test team are averaging in the 30s". Now we have the 2 top batsmen in Australia who average 48 opening and 61 at 3 available we don't need to be wasting a Test spot on a guy who has had his chance. He's a short form impact player at best and he's currently filling the niche he's suited to.
Peter Warrington
Guest
oh, so that's how you pick a batting order?!
Peter Warrington
Guest
averaging 41 including averaging 56 in 2015-16? when he topped the Vic averages. batting 318 balls against a NSW team full of previous test bowlers? batting 3 and going in in the 6th over. whatever...
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
How many not outs has he produced maximising overs at the crease in pursuit of partnerships to benefit the team, al a Dhoni, where the selectors and captain has said this guy is batting too low, we keep leaving him stranded, he MUST bat in the top 3?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
And there it is! "He was expected to slog". What is his usual game that he has sacrificed for the greater team good, then?
Peter Warrington
Guest
and.... you know... i know you know... it's a bit hard to make a grand when you miss 50-60% of the games because you are in the white ball squads and/or flown around the world as the never picked spare batsman.
Peter Warrington
Guest
no, other than topping the averages he was often expected to go and slog so they could declare you can see they don't want to pick guys who bat low in the Shield, as has just been made clear to wade - who decided he should bat himself higher for Tas! Waugh often batted at 3 for NSW. Someone has to bat 5 for Australia.
Peter Warrington
Guest
the weight of evidence especially that coming out of Victoria is that Maxwell was on of the hardest and most dedicated of trainers. unconventional, as he himself would attest, as is necessary to strike 30 per 100 better than someone like Smith. consistently, year after year. where Maxwell did concede that he could have earned a reputation was his training when in the test squad. he made a deliberate effort to knuckle down in India. got the call up. made that tone. blew them away in the Shield the following summer. was in the frame for two of the first three tests as the spare batsman. can't have been too many issues? and then Smith had his little brain melt and it was all "back the skipper in, pile on." tasteless, pathetic stuff. especially with what happened just a couple of months later. he can have his own version of what happened but I don't give a Freddo frog what he thinks any more. he should just bat and bat and bat, and take any frustration out on Mother england.
Peter Warrington
Guest
that's not it at all. they both suggested the best skippers - and coaches - praise in public and criticise in private.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
35 may be acceptable Rob, but I was answering a point about Watson being a great achiever. Bob Willis is on record as saying an average in the low thirties doesn’t make a Test cricketer. So mid thirties may be acceptable but it isn’t great. My point is that while a player might want to bat top 3, the team hierarchy chooses not you. Shield and Tests have plenty of overs for 5-7 to make big scores and push your credentials, so a player can impress, just like Gilchrist did. Shaun Marsh is doing a job set for him. I think spectators have become obsessed with AN innings of 70 off 40 and think every player could or should be doing it. The irony is that on average only one player an innings has a day out like that. Even if the top two do it, it still isn’t necessarily a winning score, certainly not in Test cricket. Teams need players of all types to maximize scores, but they also need batsmen to follow game plans too, because that’s how you win a Test series. As for ODI’s, the Aussies have shown over the history of the World Cup that they develop winning game plans where the whole squad chips in with the role assigned to them.
Rob
Guest
I think 35 opening is very acceptable when you consider he was used as an all round. He was also more suited to a middle to lower order position but others were more content to hide there to look after themselves. Michael Clarke refused to go up the order from 5-6 when he was cashing in and the best batsmen, interested in his personal averages. Look at Shaun Marsh a batsmen content and protected at 4 in ODI’s when the field is out and change bowlers are operating through the middle overs. It’s tougher batting 1-3 especially against quality international bowling which Watson was facing during much of his career.