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Aaron Finch may have found the new role which can get him back into top form for the T20 World Cup after helping guide Australia to victory over the West Indies on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.
The old firm of Finch and Matthew Wade rescued the innings after a mini middle-order collapse as the hosts chased down the victory target of 146 in a nail-biting finish to their warm-up game for the tournament which starts on home soil later this month.
The Windies were their own worst enemy in the final over of the match, spilling two easy catches in the oufield.
David Warner returned to the top of the order after he was rested for the three-match series in India to open the innings with in-form all-rounder Cameron Green with Finch dropping to four to also accommodate Mitchell Marsh in his comeback from a minor ankle problem.
Warner (14) and Marsh (three) fell cheaply and when Green (14) was followed back to the Metricon Stadium sheds by Glenn Maxwell and Tim David after they each failed to score, the Aussies had lost 3-2 to slump to 5-58 after eight overs.
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Finch, who has stepped down from the ODI side due to a string of low scores, has had his position at the top of the order in the T20 team questioned following Green’s blistering form in India.
Green has not been named in the World Cup 15-man squad but could be a late inclusion if all-rounder Marcus Stoinis fails to prove his fitness due to a recent side strain.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Finch and Wade combined for a partnership of 69 off 56 deliveries as Australia took out the first of the two-match series with one ball and three wickets to spare.
“He’s hit the gaps all night, hasn’t tried to overhit the ball,” Australian cricket great Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “A real important inning from Aaron Finch, a real confidence booster in the lead-up to the World Cup.”
Finch holed out at mid-on for 58 off 53 in the 18th over before finishing specialist Wade (39 not out off 29), with help from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, polished off the remaining 19 runs.
Wade should have been out with Australia needing seven off five but was dropped in the deep by Raymon Riefer. Inexplicably, Kyle Mayers dropped another skier off Sheldon Cottrell two balls later with the result in the balance.
Australia’s bowlers fought back after a loose start to restrict the West Indies to a competitive 9-145.
They won the toss and sent the West Indies in to bat with the visitors starting their innings in style. Mayers was in fine form early and took the game to the bowlers with an array of exquisite strokes.
Mayers played one shot of immense class when he rocked onto the back foot and punched a Green delivery high over the cover boundary.
A square drive off Josh Hazlewood rocketed across the turf to the point boundary fence to showcase the left-hander’s strength through the off side.
The West Indies were 1-47 after five overs and set for a total of 180-plus before spinners Adam Zampa and Maxwell stemmed the flow.
Australia’s three strike fast bowlers Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc then turned the screws.
The pressure told on Mayers (39 off 36 balls) when he succumbed to an ugly heave across the line to Cummins.
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran was not happy to be adjudged lbw on review to a Mitchell Starc delivery which appeared to be headed down the leg-side, but the ball tracking technology deemed otherwise. Even Starc counted his lucky stars when the opposition’s best batter made his way back to the pavilion for just two runs.
Cummins (2-22 off four) and Hazlewood (3-35 off four) were the pick of Australia’s bowlers but a late cameo by West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith (27 off 17) boosted their total.
Starc and Warner both dropped relatively simple catches for the hosts.
The second match will be on Friday night at the Gabba.
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