Six months ago, the notion that Australia would enter the 2019 Cricket World Cup as a top-three contender would have been absurd. Now, a strong run of form and the return of two world-class batsmen have Aaron Finch’s side right in the mix to defend their title.
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon.
The squad named by selectors on April 15 went pretty much as expected. Steve Smith and David Warner were both included, their first time back in the Australian set-up since their one-year suspensions ended, with Peter Handscomb the unlucky batsman to make way for the returning duo.
Kane Richardson wasn’t part of the original 15, but has made his way into the squad after namesake Jhye was unable to overcome a shoulder injury.
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Strengths
Despite a dismal 2018 in all forms of the game, Australia are now on a hot streak. They defeated India on the subcontinent in both an ODI and T20 series before trouncing Pakistan on the road to the tune of five games to nil, and key players are starting to find form at the right time.
David Warner was the IPL’s leading run-scorer by some margin despite missing the end of the tournament, Steve Smith scored 202 runs in three recent warm-up matches against New Zealand, and Usman Khawaja and Finch are both averaging over 50 in ODIs this year.
In Pat Cummins and 2015 Player of the Tournament Mitchell Starc, Finch has two of the best new-ball bowlers in the tournament at his disposal, and with Nathan Coulter-Nile and Adam Zampa rounding out the attack, there’s batting depth all the way down the order.
Then there’s Australia’s outstanding record at World Cups. Having won four of the last five, no nation rises for this tournament like the Australians, and this bunch contains five players who played in the 2015 final victory.
(Photo by Michael Dodge – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)
Weaknesses
While this is an in-form batting unit, no one really knows how Warner, Finch and Khawaja can fit in the one XI. All three are at their best opening the innings, and while Warner seems the most obvious candidate to slide down the order with his combination of hard running and harder hitting, having his belligerent talents out in the middle from ball one is an attractive prospect.
There’s also a lack of explosiveness in the order. Finch, Khawaja, Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey and Shaun Marsh (who’ll likely be the reserve batsman) are all suited to starting their innings slowly before teeing off late, leaving Warner and Glenn Maxwell as the only two capable of hitting hard from the start. In a tournament predicted to be littered with 300-plus scores, that lack of power will count against Australia.
Jhye Richardson’s injury is also a downer. The West Australian was establishing himself as a top-quality ODI bowler before dislocating his shoulder in the UAE. While Coulter-Nile is still a strong third paceman, he does go the distance every now and then, and having Kane Richardson and Jason Behrendorff in reserve leaves the pace depth lacking slightly.
Marcus Stoinis’s lacklustre form with both bat and ball is also a concern, particularly given he and Maxwell are the only two all-rounders in the side.
(Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Key player: Glenn Maxwell
Often lambasted in the past as a player with all the talent but lacking in application, Glenn Maxwell has added a sense of maturity to his game in recent years. While his style of batsmanship will never be conducive to ultra-consistent performances, his ODI average of 41 in 2019 tells the tale of a more reliable player.
At the time of writing, Maxwell’s last five innings for Australia (two warm-ups versus New Zealand and the last three ODIs versus Pakistan) all ended in half-centuries at better than a run a ball.
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With the rest of the batting outfit lacking the sheer power of India and England, an in-form Maxwell is capable of breaching that gap on his own.
The Victorian stepped up in the last World Cup, scoring 324 runs at an average of 64 and strike rate of 182, and notching his maiden ODI century against Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals – remarkably, still his only ton in the format. If Australia are to defend their crown, he’ll have to be at his best once again.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The verdict: Contenders, but not favourites
This Australian side is in a far better position than what we expected six or twelve months ago. They’re certainly capable of winning it all again, but they don’t deserve to head to England as favourites. The balance of the batting order isn’t quite there, and Richardson’s injury is a major blow.
Still, they’ll be there or thereabouts, and if Warner and Maxwell get going they’ll be a handful for anyone.
Prediction: Semi-finalists
Graham
Guest
One piece of good news is for the most part we avoid the tiny grounds against big opponents so our bowling and accumulating skills will come more into play Two dangerous exceptions - India and West Indies. West indies get to play us at a ground where mishits go for 6 thats a dangerous game
Tim P
Guest
I hope it doesn't come down to this in all honesty but if it does, this squad has some of the best tail end Batsmen that the Aussies have had at their disposal in quite sometime. I'm not entirely convinced about Behrendorff (no disrespect intended), but I personally believe that every other player has the ability of scoring a minimum of 15-20 very handy runs (at a run a ball) which could be the difference in posting a below par score of 250 odd or a very competitive score of 300 plus. This also gives the Top Order a lot more freedom to play their shots with the confidence in knowing that the Australian tail certainly knows how to wag when (and if) they are required too.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
In addition to that, we often forget that Finch's game was also a lot more based on hitting from word go (whereas it has evolved now into a bit more careful), so Warner + Finch at the top of the order was absolutely lethal It's a shame Faulkner's stagnated a bit, he's still on the right side of 30, so ideally he'd have a few more years left in him. Agar would have been the ideally replacement as a number 8 (though obviously not like-for-like in terms of bowling), but obviously given his injury, it did not eventuate in that way.
The Bush
Roar Guru
I actually don't recall a lot of negative chat about it at the time Josh. As it was played in Australia and spin wasn't really factor, the side had it all. Even now that side has probably go more upside to it, as Faulkner at his peak, with Maxwell Haddin and Watson is a lot more power hitting between 5 and 8 than we have now. The M Marsh thing is a shame. Much like his brother, he's a way better limited overs player than anything else. An in form M Marsh at 5 and bowling well would make this side a lot stronger than Stoinis. It's also unfortunate that Faulkner went off the boil (or got found out). He's actually the same age as Stoinis - if Faulkner had kept it together, there's a real chance we'd have never even selected Stoinis.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
We may have criticised that 15-man squad chosen last time round at that time, but in retrospect it seems absolutely perfect A top 6 of Finch, Warner, Smith, Clarke, Watson and Maxwell; Haddin keeping; with Starc, Hazlewood, Johnson and Faulkner rounding out the fast bowling cartel; along with a reliable backup bat in Bailey, a specialist spin option in Doherty and two project players in M Marsh and Cummins (although only 1 really worked out for us). Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but I don't think we could have selected a better squad in 2015
Trevor
Guest
If Coulter-Nile plays Australia is effectively playing 10 against 12 as he’s a huge advantage for the opposition. An international cricketer he is not. A park cricketer - only on his best days.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
On the money there Scotty, Stoinis will also have a significant influence over the side, particularly given he's guaranteed to be selected in the absence of a third all-rounder in the side.
Neel
Roar Guru
Agree with Maxwell being the key for the Aussies. Along with him, I would have Cummins, Starc & Smith as the other key player for the Aussies if they are to have a shot at winning the World Cup.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
No doubt Australia will be hard to beat in a knockout game. The point with the lack of explosiveness in their order is that, if all teams play to their best, Australia can't outscore England and India because they just don't score quickly enough. The bowling attack can definitely go some way to limiting that disadvantage, but I'd say India's attack is stronger.
Neel
Roar Guru
Hahahahaha. Patels.
The Bush
Roar Guru
The balance Faulkner brought to the side in 2015 cannot be overstated, it means we could go in with Watson and Maxwell as our 5th and 6th bowling options, both being quality with the ball and variety (pace and spin) and still bat really deep with a quality hitter at 8. This time round Stoinis isn't as good with the ball and not even half the batsman that Watson was and we don't have similar depth batting at 8. It'll certainly be an odd World Cup if we win - a team that is clearly worse than it was four years ago wins it away... won't make good reading for our opponents.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I do see Stoinis as being very key to this team. If he can't come good to at least be reliable with the ball and able to play some decent cameo's with the bat, that could make it very difficult. He's key to the balance of the side. Australia can't carry Stoinis in the form he's been showing of late, but without him it's a very unbalanced looking side, either Maxwell as the 5th bowler with only part timers Finch and Smith after that, or picking 5 specialist bowlers and having a long tail.
The Bush
Roar Guru
If he's going to be consistently selected, then at some point he's going to be key, because it's folly to assume that the top order and/or Maxwell is going to push us up to and beyond 300 every game. His batting has become such a concern, and Carey's has suddenly become so consistent, I'd rather see Carey bat above him (at which point you'd ask what is the point of even selecting him, you should just select another bowler).
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
Morning Daniel. Have seen a lot being made of the lack of explosiveness in the Aussie line-up. Warner can be pretty explosive at or near the top but that's neither here nor there. Australia's strength is rotating strike and not allowing the bowling side too much ascendancy, something the Black Caps try to emulate. And that's good enough given the quality in your line-up. These are small grounds and any set batsman of quality will hit boundaries. Which is also good enough. Preserving wickets and building scoreboard pressure still works and the runs will come. In fact I would suggest that the rotating accumulation morphing into cumulative aggression will still be the equation the deeper Australia go, and they should threaten. Therefore, by inference, bowling will be the pivotal component then and Australia has a decent attack. Starc can be a devastating quick and appears to returning to some form alongside Cummins. Lyon is already making inroads and he and Zampa could be tricky on a turning wicket. All in all, I think Australia are starting to come into some real form and combined with their incredible record in this event will be hard to beat in the final stanzas.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Completely agree the key is Maxwell, however Jeffers, I tend to think Stoinis actually holds a fair bit of sway over how this side will perform. You sort of know what sort of game you're going to get from just about everyone else. Stoinis, on the other hand, starts his innings very slowly. We saw it the other nignt against England in the warm-up game and if he doesnt find a way to bat long and catch up, it really effects the sort of total Australia make. I tend to think Stoinis scoring 30-40+ in each game could be the difference.
McBumble
Guest
Nice preview and I agree that Stoinis should not even be in the squad. Shaun Marsh (as much as it pains me) should be in over him. AUS to miss the semi-finals. You herd it hear first. Semi finals will be : Poms Saffers Kiwis Patels
Graham
Guest
Smith can tonk or grind depinding on the match situation so we have 4 players capable of taking the game away with the bat If Stoinis comes good (long shot) then we have a very strong side