The Australian Twenty20 World Cup team is starting to come together.
The top four of Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell is one of the best in the world.
The selectors seem to have settled on a five-man bowling attack of Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson.
The two positions that are still up for grabs are the number five and six positions, one of which will need to be filled by a wicketkeeper.
The middle order has long been the weak link of the Australian Twenty20 team. Of the players that were selected to go to the West Indies, there are seven who could realistically bat at five or six.
Moises Henriques
T20I record: 220 runs at 31.42, strike rate of 135.80
T20 record: 4007 runs at 26.71, strike rate of 128.34
Henriques has performed well for Australia in Twenty20 internationals. The fact that he has been able to make those runs in the middle order certainly counts in his favour. Henriques is an excellent player of spin and is also a useful bowler.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Mitch Marsh
T20I record: 325 runs at 21.66, strike rate of 116.07
T20 record: 2334 runs at 30.71, strike rate of 126.91
Marsh has long been a consistent performer in the Big Bash. His record in Twenty20 internationals has been a bit inconsistent. He did a decent job in guiding Australia to their sole T20 victory against England last year after the team suffered a top-order collapse. He struggled in the recent series against New Zealand, although he was used badly, batting behind Agar in three of the five games.
Marcus Stoinis
T20I record: 376 runs at 25.06, strike rate of 133.80
T20 record: 3489 runs at 32, strike rate of 133.06
Stoinis has long been a consistent performer in the Big Bash. He also has a decent IPL record. There still remain questions over his ability to perform at international level, particularly in the middle order.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Josh Philippe
T20I record: 105 runs at 21, strike rate of 120.68
T20 record: 1489 runs at 30.38, strike rate of 137.74
Philippe has a good record opening the batting for the Sydney Sixers over the last few Big Bash seasons. He earned an Australian debut as a specialist batsman against New Zealand. He has very little experience in the middle order, but could be worth picking.
Matthew Wade
T20I record: 526 runs at 21.91, strike rate of 126.74
T20 record: 2814 runs at 27.59, strike rate of 137
Wade has a good record when opening the batting, but his numbers in the middle order are pretty poor. He’s a good option as a back-up opener but doesn’t really fit into the middle order.
(Photo by Matt King – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)
Alex Carey
T20I record: 176 runs at 12.57, strike rate of 116.55
T20 record: 2081 runs at 30.15, strike rate of 128.14
Carey has done a solid job batting in the middle order of the Australian ODI team, but unfortunately he hasn’t been able to convert that to Twenty20 international level, despite his good Big Bash record.
D’Arcy Short
T20I record: 642 runs at 30.57, strike rate of 118.88
T20 record: 3349 runs at 36.40, strike rate 133.58
Short has dominated the Big Bash for years, but it remains to be seen if he can perform at international level.
These players shouldn’t be the only ones to be looked at to bat in the middle order. Another four players who weren’t picked in the squad – Ashton Turner, Josh Inglis, James Pierson and Dan Christian – should also be considered at five or six for future series.
Clear as mud
Guest
For the ODI where we have residual success, he proven formula was worth a punt We have been off the pace in T20 for a while, and conservative thinking will perpetuate that. As with a ODI squad that contained as many top order Ashes players and potentials as Langer could fit in his car, the timing may dictate a bit of the close calls.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Not sure it matters if he could get a run for England or India in that spot, it is actually whether there is a walk up start from a regular Aussie T20 player. If there isn’t then identifying or developing one should be the natural goal of the backroom. It’s more likely they’ve decided Smith is that guy and will produce as the situation arises, due to his ability to grow and adapt. Australia has never been a country prepared to do something out of left field in any World Cup, they’ve been all about ‘ the process’ for too long now, because anything else makes the front office nervous.
Clear as mud
Guest
Agree with that and you will prob see days where Maxwell bats 5 or 6 if we are 3-20. And Smith can certainly do the whole role you reference. And do it well. But is he automatically the best at that? I don’t think his record (at T20) makes him automatic. (Would he get picked for England or India? Dunno…) A bit like you above re Christian , I guess it’s just easier to lock in the contracted stars and leaders, and go from there?
Paul
Roar Guru
exactly. The guys you named have be able to adapt given they play for at least 3 or 4 different franchises each year. They're not going to be offered contracts if they can't adapt so leaving them out because they're old or retired from FC cricket is 19th century thinking IMO.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yeah, you'd think with the poor returns at this format over the last decade that a total rethink has to be paramount. The logic of playing guys who play bugger all T20I because of crowded schedules is strange. I can only think it is about primarily picking within contracted players. There was an article about how hard it must be for the Windies T20 coach to set a plan if 'retired' players are brought in like Gayle, Bravo, Narine, but they actually have more experience adapting to different plans than contracted players as they play for hire! Players like Christian, Hogg, Hodge, Watson should have been in the mix all along for T20 on the same basis. CA needs to think in that way.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Not sure an anchor with that top four is relevant. They are all experienced enough & played together enough, to play the conditions and opponent on their merits with any one of them being circumspect in case of early loses, to then set up a rebuild. Maxwell is probably the only one that isn't natural for, as he just plays his own game, but if they luck out he makes 35 instead of 0, then one of the other top order team players can build the partnerships required. It's akin to Kohli playing the game as it comes in the IPL while Maxwell and de Villiers flog from the other end. Smith and Finch are capable of that.
Paul
Roar Guru
what's really frustrating is the Aussie selectors appear to be blinkered when it comes to selecting older fellas for T20 cricket. He's got to be one of our best 17 or 18 players but can't get a look in. That's obviously not a problem with the West Indies and if the Saffers could have reached an agreement with AB de V, I'm sure he'd have been in their squad as well.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
He has many assets, not just bat and ball. Worth the spot in the bubble. I can see his resume getting a coaching job in short form T20 at Aussie level some time in the future, that experience has to be useful now.
Clear as mud
Guest
yes, fair enough, but his recent form since suspension doesn't really show a #3 anchoring the innings. he goes along at an ok rate, and when he needs to launch (or bat through), he often gets out in overs 10-13. i know it's a fickle game but I reckon if someone like Maxwell got 9 games in a row the top 5, 6 of them at 3, and didn't score a single 50, there would be many questions asked, mostly publicly, mostly by the selectors and "coach". (since the same point, Finch averaged 39 and went at 136 - Smith 27 and 131. noting that Finch played the NZ series this year and Smith didn't.) so Smith may bat the house down in the worlds, but I don't see him as an automatic selection - it would be an assumption that his upticked SR in ODIs could carry across. I'd probably prefer to play a young keeper or Carey at 3. with more hitters in the middle after Maxwell. selfishly, prefer to see Smith playing Shield preparing to dominate the Ashes.
Shaan Waseem
Roar Rookie
Baffles me that Inglis wasn't picked in the probables for the West Indies tour. He is exactly the kind of batsman that they need in the middle order.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Smiths played 45 T20Is, the first 20 of those were in 2010-11 when he was viewed as bowling all rounder batting at 7/8. Those numbers are hardly relevant to a guy batting at 3.
Clear as mud
Guest
except he doesn't, really. he doesn't anchor. gets lots of 30s and 40s and gets out. meaning the others have to come in and tonk from ball 1. low career strike rate and few 50s and no tons is revealing I reckon. Maxwell has a higher career average than him and a massively increased strike rate. coming in at 4,5,6,7. might he not, similarly, do even better when given more balls to face? if not him, a Carey or similar? do we need an anchor in a 20 over game, with Warner Finch and Maxwell?
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
His record at 3 is pretty solid, average of 39, strike rate of 141. Good player to anchor the innings.
clear as mud
Guest
I wouldn't have Smith a lock at 3, not in this format. Keep Phillipe or Inglis there, keeping.
Paul
Roar Guru
at the least, Christian needs to be tried again at international level. He's seemingly in huge demand for the domestic T20 comps and people aren't going to spend big dough on a guy who isn't playing good short form cricket.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Carey and Christian. Carey has only batted 18 times in international T20, too small a sample to leave his finishing skills out. With 1/4 of those not outs and SR of 116, he can see the team home more often than not. I know there'll be criticism, but Christian at 5 is explosive when needed, a cool head with 9 Franchise championships around the world, handy bowler if needed and deserving of the spot. If the hugely experienced top 4 don't take most games into the 16-17th over then 5-6 can hardly be blamed. Darcy Short in the squad would be useful too.
Tom
Inglis should be in the squad. He looks by far the best middle order option if the BBL was anything to go by and has actually batted in the middle unlike most of the others.
Paul
Roar Guru
It might be easier to suggest who NOT to play than who should be in the team. For mine, Stoinis, Short & Wade should not be in the mix. Christian IMO should at least tour, both the West Indies and the World Cup. I'd think all of the others should be given chances to see what they can do the order. Selectors should also not be scared to play two keepers, if Phillipe and Inglis prove to be the best options at 5 & 6.