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Opinion
The Australian selectors have chosen a very talented group of 21 players ahead of the limited-overs series’ against England and the nation has been watching them very keenly.
Some key points will have to be assessed beforehand, however, but the existence of a core group will help see the tour through. So here are some of the key points ahead of this important series.
Top-order log-jam
It’s no secret the squad has selected many top-order players, all of great class and in good form. However, to disrupt the amazing partnership of David Warner and Aaron Finch would be suicide.
The pair have scored 3297 runs together in ODIs at an average of 51.51, the sixth most for Australia after Adam Gilchrist/Matthew Hayden, Gilchrist/Steve Waugh, David Boon/Rod Marsh, Gilchrist/Ricky Ponting and Hayden/Ponting. They average higher than all of them. However, the inclusion of Josh Philippe, Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade has created a form of log-jam in the top order.
Philippe however, did not impress with only a high score of 22, Wade had a decent run, scoring 86 runs and scoring a half-century in the second T20 and 36* in the first. Stoinis on the other hand, completely gunned it; he ended up the top scorer in the warm-ups with 193 runs. If one of Finch or Warner had to pull out for any reason, Stoinis would be probably be the first choice to replace.
Steve Smith’s form
Steve Smith has had a troubling time with the bat, scoring eight, one and 41 opening in the last T20. A promising last match doesn’t get rid of the problem he seems to have with the short ball, the way he got out in the 50-over match. However, Smith is a proven match-winner and probably won’t be dropped from the side.
Marnus Labuschagne in T20s?
In ten T20 matches, Labuschagne has scored 97 runs at an average of 12.12. Not exactly knocking down the door and scoring one and seven in the first two T20 practices, a similar trend was expected but given the chance to open the batting he scored a ton from just 51 balls. Justin Langer praised the innings, however with a very tight top five of Finch, Warner, Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey, the chances of Labuschagne getting a shot in the T20s is highly unlikely.
Potential T20 XI
1. Aaron Finch (c)
2. David Warner
3. Steve Smith
4. Glenn Maxwell
5. Alex Carey (wk)
6. Marcus Stoinis
7. Daniel Sams
8. Ashton Agar
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Pat Cummins (vc)
11. Adam Zampa
Potential ODI XI
1. Aaron Finch (c)
2. David Warner
3. Steve Smith
4. Marnus Labuschagne
5. Glenn Maxwell
6. Alex Carey (wk)
7. Ashton Agar
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Pat Cummins
10. Andrew Tye
11. Adam Zampa
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