Australia must consider specialist finishers Dan Christian and Moises Henriques for this year’s T20 World Cup after the side’s continued middle order struggles in the T20 series loss to New Zealand.
The Aussie middle-order has been flaccid years now and is the only weak point in their full-strength line-up, which has a dominant top four, two excellent spinners and a host of quality pace options.
The five-match series in New Zealand was a gilded chance for Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis to take ownership of the middle order. Instead, Marsh had a shocking series and Stoinis played one brilliant knock but overall was, once again, hugely inconsistent.
Of greatest concern was the fact neither man looked comfortable against spin. Slow bowling will likely dominate this year’s T20 World Cup in India.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Australia’s first choice top four of Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. That quartet all are fine players of spin, and have huge experience playing white ball cricket in Asia.
At five and six, however, Australia continue to get bogged down, particularly against slow bowling, which means they need to give middle order opportunities to other players.
I think Australia missed a trick in New Zealand by not handing such a role to Josh Philippe, who dominates spin in the BBL. Philippe might not have succeeded in the middle order, either, but it would have done no harm.
Instead Australia learned nothing new about their middle options from that series.
With the World Cup just seven months away, Australia may have as few as six more T20Is before that tournament. Australia are scheduled to tour the Caribbean in June for three ODIs and three T20s (surely a six-match T20 series would be better this year?), followed by an October T20 tour of Bangladesh to warm up for the World Cup.
So Australia don’t need to look long-term with their selections, rather just pick the best possible Iineup to finally win this tournament.
Which means age shouldn’t be held against 37-year-old Christian and 34-year-old Henriques. Both all-rounders shape as attractive options for the World Cup.
Dan Christian. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Christian in recent years has turned himself into a rare style of player – a consistently destructive late innings hitter.
He’s had a monstrous 12 months with the bat across three highly-competitive T20 franchise leagues – the BBL, England’s Vitality Blast, and the Pakistan Super League.
In 32 matches across those leagues in that time, Christian averaged 35 at a scorching strike rate of 170. Again and again, he came to the crease in the late overs and cut loose. Pace or spin, it didn’t matter much, Christian went bang.
This hasn’t come naturally for Christian, he’s honed this difficult late-innings role by playing a massive amount of T20 cricket. In the past three years alone, he has played a whopping 120 matches in this format.
Christian has never been a better T20 player than he is right now.
Teams around the world struggle to locate batsmen like him, ones who don’t need time to get set, who have the composure, power and shot range to go ballistic from ball one with the field set deep.
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Australia have one such player in Glenn Maxwell. But they are justifiably reticent to move Maxwell out of the top four, where he has been a wrecking ball in T20Is, averaging 40 at a strike rate of 165 in the past five years.
If all else fails, Australia could consider pushing Maxwell down to five for the World Cup. In such a scenario they could open with their wicketkeeper, leave Steve Smith at three, and push one of Warner or Finch down to four.
But that should be their last option. First Australia should see if someone else can command the middle order so they can keep their gun top four intact.
There is, of course, limited time to do that. Which, again, is why Christian and Henriques are appealing, due to their vast experience in T20 cricket and, specifically, in India.
Henriques has played seven seasons of IPL for four different teams. He knows Indian conditions extremely well and, even when not getting a game in the IPL, spent day after day facing Asian spinners in the nets. It shows in his batting. Henriques is assured and fluent against spin.
He rotates the strike nicely against slow bowlers, and also has a range of boundary options. Henreiques sweeps strongly, uses his feet well and is particularly adept at getting deep in his crease to cut and pull.
Compare that to Stoinis, for example, who struggles to get off strike against spin and then, when searching for a boundary, has just one main option – the lofted drive down the ground. That shot may work against slower, loopier BBL spinners.
But it’s a seriously difficult stroke to execute against spinners who bowl quick and flat, and cramp you for room. And that’s how many canny international spinners operate, especially when they come up against someone like Stoinis.
The all-rounder’s best position in T20 is clearly in the top three. When he has time to get himself set he can be explosive against all styles of bowling.
There’s no room, however, for Stoinis to open for Australia, and he has never looked comfortable in the middle order when he needs to go for broke from ball one.
The same can’t be said of Christian and, to a lesser extent, Henriques. Both of these veterans should be on Australia’s T20 tour of the Caribbean in June to give them a chance to finally fix Australia’s middle order woes.
Peter
Roar Rookie
Comparing Finch and Stoinis is interesting. Finch’s career IPL stats have him averaging 25.7 at 127.7. Stoinis averages 28.44 at 137.27. Last IPL Finch averaged 22.33 at 111.2 while Stoinis averaged 25.24 at 148.52. He also took 13 wickets. I don’t think either player makes a great. case. But neither do they make really bad cases, One has experience and a lot of respect. While the other you feel hasn’t quite lived up to his reputation. I think last years IPL though does make a good argument for keeping the rig. And he’ll be there again this year while Finch won’t.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Langer is stubborn as .... He for some reason keeps playing the same team. Despite Starc's struggle, he kept playing him and even after the loss at the Gabba, he still stubbornly talked about how Starc was the right choice ahead of Neser. I wish CA hired Gillespie ahead of this stubborn freak.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Christian is ordinary against spin so getting picked for a WC in India is unlikely. Stoinis had one good innings against NZ so he is probably safe for a couple of years, Langer loves him.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
They can have the rankings. They haven’t won 5 World Cup’s and Australia always flog them in test matches.
Brisguy51
Roar Rookie
Neser is going good.
Marty
Roar Rookie
WA in worse trouble now, movement in the air and off the pitch, some unplayable deliveries with the new ball.
Brisguy51
Roar Rookie
Do you think Jack Wildermuth could be included in the Australian side. He has been in really good form and if the Aussie selectors are looking for a young all rounder I think he fits the bill.
Linphoma
Guest
Henriques has been a batting rock for a number of seasons in most formats and this season looks in career-best touch. I think he's really settled at the moment and it shows. He looked serene while at the crease the other day, never rushed; his strokes seemed to flow; he was waiting in position, bat cocked in backswing, ages before the ball arrived at the point where his bat was going to address it. At least it appeared that way. Get him in the program with DC and play them. Plenty of opportunities to blend them into the side. In these blokes, age is no barrier at this point.
Patrick
Roar Pro
Not sure about tried and found wanting. Dan Christian has batted 7 times in T20 Internationals- a tiny sample size considering the hit and miss nature of the T20 format, particularly for late order hitters. Henriques on the other hand averages 31.42 at a strike rate of 135.8 in T20 Internationals- a good record.
U
Roar Rookie
I agree about Stoinis but the other two have been tried and found wanting.
Brian
Guest
I agree on the cricket but not the Rugby its a marginal sport in Australia played by a few people in NSW & Qld. We do beat them in Football, Basketball, RL etc. Its only cricket where its disgraceful that the sport is probably No 3 in both countries and yet they are ahead of us.
Gurlivleen Grewal
Roar Pro
Both of them will get a decent shot at IPL, well ahead of T20 WC. Christian might get only limited opportunities given he has the misfortune of being chosen by the worst tactical team in the IPL - RCB. Henriques will have to fight for his spot too - there are plenty of overseas options in the middle order for Kings.
Rob
Guest
Just about anyone other than Stoinis will do. He completed halted our momentum in the final T20 all on his own. His inability to rotate the strike just isn't good enough and he's also a slow runner between the wickets which isn't great in T20. Henriques performed well in the recent series against India so I think he deserves a spot at 5-6. The selectors also need to get away from this ridiculous right hand left hand combo they are trying at the moment. Batting Agar ahead of Mitch Marsh is just ridiculous. Don't get me wrong I rate Agar as a batsman, but Marsh is miles ahead of him as a T20 batsman and is also in fantastic form. I'm still not sold on Agar batting at 7 either. He just isn't aggressive enough to bat at that spot. He'd be a fantastic number 8 but we need someone like Dan Christian at 7 who can strike at 150+. Agar just isn't capable of that.
O M
Roar Rookie
Henriques for mine. He has never been given the chances that he deserves. There are some Cricketers that just seem to sit in the Australian Selectors blind spot for years until they suddenly "see" them and then give them an opportunity. Moises should be given a good run of games to show all his huge ability.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
With T20 being hit and miss and current form the only really important criteria, Christian should be there. The West Indies are picking on form in this format, not age. That seems reasonable, even if there was a World Cup in this format every year you'd expect the team to be different as form waxes and wanes and the crowded schedule permits.
Patrick
Roar Pro
Stoinis is a strange one. I feel like he's improving his lower order batting, but he still seems frustratingly stagnant when he first comes to the crease. He did very well in the last IPL batting mostly at number 6, and has compiled 240 runs @ 40 (SR 146.34) since his T20I recall last winter. If we take out the Hamilton innings, then we're still looking at some handy cameos (162 runs @ 32.4, SR 127.56). I remain undecided. I felt for Marsh being pushed below Agar. He batted well in the first match, and the final T20 in England last year, and I feel 7 was a bit too low for him. I reckon he has something to offer in this format, but he could find himself squeezed out. To me Christian is a no brainer- a highly experienced specialist finisher, who plays purely T20 cricket is perfect. He has to be in the squad if not the 11. Henriques also deserves the opportunity. He has the best T20 International record of the 4, played well against India, and has strong BBL and IPL records. My only concern here is that his best cricket in the BBL, IPL, and internationals has come at number 3 and 4, rather than number 5 or 6. Nonetheless, he deserves the chance to prove that he can play the lower order role. It will be interesting to see which of these four are used at the World Cup. I assume that World Cup squads will be larger than the typical 15, given the difficulty in replacing players with COVID restrictions. With that in mind I think Australia could feasibly bring 3, if not all 4 of Marsh, Stoinis, Christian and Henriques, depending on how large the squad ends up. I'd probably have Christian in my XI, with Henriques and Stoinis as squad members, and Marsh's place contingent upon the size of the squad.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Bit of swing today. QLD in early trouble. Got to say WA have the worst jerseys going around, cheap ugly yellow. Compared to the glorious shmick looking QLD strips it is night and day...... :stoked:
Simon
Guest
Realistically, the keeper is going to bat 5/6 so there's one spot available in the middle order. I think Mitch Marsh deserves it. Dan Christian close too; especially if they wanted to change the balance and bat him at 7. Stoinis is definitely frustrating in the middle order for Aus. He's stalled a lot of innings. The upside to him is he was a brilliant finisher last IPL, he changed his stance and was able to come out and hit straight away.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Fair call, though I didn’t think Henriques had many games in the IPL. Somehow doubt they will go for Christian even though it makes a lot of sense.
Paul
Roar Guru
Christian has rightly earned a huge reputation particularly in England for all the reasons Ronan describes. That he's not in the squad at present makes no sense. I get that Langer and the selectors like incumbency, but we have a serious weakness down the order and the incumbents have not consistently done their jobs and finished innings as they should. Perhaps next time the issue of T20 selections is raised by the media with these guys, they need to ask why Christian & Henriques are not there and hopefully Hohns and co will provide some straight answers.