The make-up of Australia’s starting XI for the World Cup remains unclear as they head into their final warm-up match today against Sri Lanka.
None of Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter-Nile or Jason Behrendorff appear certain to play in Australia’s World Cup opener against Afghanistan on Saturday.
Khawaja, Marsh and Stoinis are competing for just two spots in the top six, with Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell automatic picks.
Meanwhile, neither Coulter-Nile nor Behrendorff has made a commanding case for selection as the third pace bowler to complement Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Cummins has been in dominant form with the new ball this year, taking 17 wickets at 11 in the five ODIs he has opened, all of which were on lifeless pitches in Asia.
Australia surely, then, will hand him the new ball in the World Cup given the enormous importance of taking early wickets.
Nathan Coulter-Nile (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Starc too seems like an obvious choice to open the bowling. The left-armer’s phenomenal record with the new ball in ODIs, his ability to swing the white ball and his knack for taking wickets in the first ten overs cannot be ignored.
That complicates matters because Australia clearly see Behrendorff as a specialist new-ball bowler. The Sandgroper has opened the bowling in all ten one-day matches he has played for Australia, including six ODIs and four practice matches this month.
Like Starc he has the skill to consistently swing the new white ball and has a capacity for taking big wickets in the first powerplay. But it is hard to see how Behrendorff could be handed the new ball ahead of star pair Starc and Cummins.
The selectors, then, will need to consider whether Behrendorff could adapt to an unfamiliar position as a first-change bowler in the World Cup.
This is a role Coulter-Nile knows well, having rarely opened for Australia in his 27 ODIs. The right-armer could have the edge over Behrendorff in the eyes of the selectors due to his familiarity with bowling first change, his greater international experience and his superior batting and fielding ability.
But Coulter-Nile did himself no favours by being hammered for 61 runs from six overs against England while Behrendorff was very impressive in the same match. It will be interesting to see if Australia play both of them against Sri Lanka today to offer them one last chance to press their cases.
The make-up of Australia’s top six today may also hint at how they intend to line up in the World Cup opener. One of Stoinis, Marsh or Khawaja will have to be omitted against Afghanistan. Stoinis has the advantage of offering a handy extra option with the ball. But the all-rounder’s batting touch has been dire for well over a year now, having averaged just 25 across his past 20 ODIs.
Stoinis’s form has been no better in the practice matches, in which he has made just 43 runs at 14. What’s more is that he has scored at a gentle strike rate of just 76 across those matches to go with a very slow strike rate of 82 in his past 20 ODIs.
Stoinis is tasked with being a swift scorer batting at No. 5, but instead he chews up a lot of balls as he tries to get set at the crease, which is unacceptable for a No. 5 batsman in modern ODIs. Yesterday, as Australia beat England, it was Khawaja who was in this fifth position, with Warner shifting up to open. That was a strange move considering Khawaja has made 665 runs at 66 as an opener in ODIs this year, including two tons.
It may suggest Khawaja is in danger of being axed for the World Cup opener to allow Warner to open and Stoinis to retain his middle-order spot. While Khawaja has a sensational record as an opener in ODIs, he has averaged just 24 in his ten matches batting elsewhere in the order.
A perceived lack of versatility could count against the left-hander if it comes down to a choice between him and Marsh. The West Australian, by comparison, has flourished all over the ODI batting order. Marsh averages 39 as an opener, 45 at first drop, 48 batting at No. 4 and 43 in the six matches in which he has batted at five, six or seven.
Combined with his excellent ODI record in England – an average of 46 and two tons from nine matches – Marsh may just edge out Khawaja for the final World Cup batting spot.
Peter Warrington
Guest
sorta axed, if you can find the right warmup giggle game lineup to serve as a baseline
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
When they are in a World Cup squad, are they actually "axed" or just not picked for a particular game?
jose
Roar Rookie
Finch's issue with incoming deliveries was again on display against SL yesterday. In such a situation, you need a calm presence like Khawaja at the top of the order.
Peter Warrington
Guest
as with the test team, we now have too many options. Warner, Finch, Khawaja, Marsh. all in form. ish. all can open. Stoinis best at opening, as well. Finch, Warner, Marsh, Smith. all in form. can all bat 3. Stoinis can bat 3, as well. Smith, Marsh, Maxwell. all in form. can all bat 4. Marsh, Maxwell, Carey. all in form. can all bat 5-6. Stoinis can bat 6. Carey can bat 7. he is in form. so can Stoinis. Someone is going to miss. i would be going dasher and slogger, left and right, with free floating. nearly everyone can go slow to rebuild, "normal", and dasher, either against the new ball or the old. Stoinis and Khawaja are the ones most prone to getting bogged down. Nevertheless, I think I would probably start with: Khawaja Finch Warner Smith Marsh Maxwell Stoinis Carey Cummins Starc Zampa that is a top 6 with 5 test quality batsman, two of whom are dashers and two can go. and khawaja is a capable basher in the first overs. throw the bloody bat. go as hard as you can. trust Carey and Cummins to place a floor under the score if it doesn't work. set 350+ every game. trust Starc and Cummins to take wickets, Zampa to dry it up and take wickets, and Maxwell to keep bowling tight and nicking wickets. Stoinis to do tricks, get some wickets with slower balls etc. if that doesn't work, replace Stoinis with NCN and keep same "strategy" we actually have one of the stronger batting groups. so liberate them to "do an england" and set the World Cup alight.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Neel, I have a fair memory of 44 years of cricket World Cups and can't remember one where pitch conditions played such a crucial role in team selections. We've gone to England a decent all-rounder short, but if we get pitches where the ball does a bit we can cover that. If we get the sort of roads the Poms have been producing, we're in a huge selection bind, because one player Stoinis, might decide our World Cup fate.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Then I don't think finch Warner is best combination to face world's best attacks on grandest stage to create a solid platform for middle order. At least their outing in previous tournaments such as WC15 or champions trophy doesn't support best combo theory. Finch plays within himself at starting, Warner is overtly aggressive to nullify quality bowling attack. I can bet if that's the best combo, they won't average more than 20-25 per outing. Wanna bet?
jameswm
Roar Guru
The 5th seamer is superfluous.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I’d have picked Turner ahead of Richardson or even Marsh. I think we’ve got too many accumulators anyway, plus one too many quicks.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah true. It’s an option to consider though.
afistfulofdollars
Roar Rookie
Khawaja, Finch (c), Warner, Smith, Maxwell, Stoinis, Carey, Cummins, Starc, Behrendorf and Lyon. That would be my XI but it appears as though they'll play two spinners. In that case Behrendorf would make way for Zampa. But I would argue that the Big Show is just as an effective short form bowler as Lyon/Zampa. If Stoinis can regain his form I think that lineup gives us the necessary batting strength for the impending shootouts on the roads in England.
AREH
Roar Guru
He's a natural top order player - I'd go as far to say in the top 3, or out of the side altogether.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Let's be honest. We have selection issues with the bat and the ball. Things are clear as mud on both fronts atm. 3 locked in bowlers and 4 bats (including Carey) so that's 2 bats and 2 bowlers we're uncertain about. .. interesting times.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
If you're right about us trying to clone Hayden/Gilchrist then I'd say you're also right about it being doomed to failure. Just not convinced that's what they're trying to do. It's far more likely they just want the best combo from the available players imo.
Peter Warrington
Guest
yeah good onya mate. make his wife suffer again. what SA excused was just disgraceful. we should have come home at that point (and papergate would have been avoided)
Peter Warrington
Guest
Watson wasn't religion - he is a GOD!
Peter Warrington
Guest
they probably should have positioned Stoinis to open as per Watto.
MarkD
Guest
Nah you got it all wrong !!! He plays for .... Queensland.!!
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
I would drop Finch down to 5 and have M.Marsh replace Stoinis. My prefered lineup which makes sense but won't happen . Khawaja Warner Smith Carey Finch Maxwell M.Marsh Cummins Starc Lyon Zampa
Rob
Guest
Yet Khawaja’s ODI record is far superior to Shaun Marsh?
Rob
Guest
It’s not racism mate. It’s straight out nepotism. Always has been cricket circles. The Marsh boys have special privileges and it’s been that way since they were little. Son of the coach rubbish. It’s a cricket culture thing where opinions not preformance rules at the selection table. Khawaja is a better batsman just like Maxwell is and Hodge was.