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Australia’s failed quest to find form before the T20 World Cup has left their players feeling fatigued before the tournament has even started.
But captain Aaron Finch insists his players remain confident they can turn things around, despite slumping to a 2-0 series result against England and likely only avoiding a third defeat thanks to a rain intervention.
The Aussies have played five T20s in nine days shortly after returning from another three matches in India late last month, and have another hit-out against the Indians on Monday.
Finch admitted the schedule played a factor in the disappointing recent performances.
“The guys are probably a little bit tired at the moment,” he told reporters.
“In all honesty, the schedule has been so packed over the last six or eight weeks that we identified a couple of months ago we wanted to make sure that we’re in a position to be peaking at the right time with the World Cup.
“It’s going to be important over the next couple of days to try and freshen everyone up as much as we can.”
The captain, whose own shaky form was again highlighted with a golden duck on Friday night, wondered if Monday’s clash with India might be unnecessary given the recent workload, but said momentum was critical in the shorter form of the game.
“It’s a double-edged sword, guys need to get out there and continue to play,” he said.
“That’s a really tough thing in T20 cricket, to have long breaks and then keep being consistent.
“It can be really challenging as a batter especially. I’m sure some guys who haven’t got an opportunity in this game will … we’ll pick a side based on how everyone is feeling.”
But despite a number of players out of form and the side having gone three games without a win, Finch insisted this was a side that can successfully defend their T20 World Cup crown on home soil.
He saw many similarities between this side and the one that defied the odds to win last year’s tournament in the UAE.
“Internally, we felt really confident leading into the last World Cup when nobody gave us much of a chance,” he said.
“I’m not sure what people are saying or what the general consensus is now, but we’re still really confident we’ve got the team, the structure, the individuals and the match-winners that can win a World Cup.”
Australia’s batting woes continued in Canberra on Friday night as they avoided defeat but not an embarrassing collapse in the T20 international.
Finch and Mitchell Marsh both departed for a golden duck from the first two balls of the home side’s innings while Glenn Maxwell, promoted to opener, continued his recent form slump by departing for eight.
Rain wreaked havoc throughout the night – the Aussies went off at 3-30 with Steve Smith (seven) and Marcus Stoinis (eight) trying to kick-start the innings after Chris Woakes destroyed their run-chase with two wickets in successive deliveries from the get-go and then removing Maxwell in the third over.
They were well behind the par score but with five overs needed to be bowled to constitute a match, the final rain interruption saved them from losing the series in a 3-0 whitewash.
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Multiple delays earlier meant the game was reduced to 12 overs per side, the visitors scoring 2-112 behind captain Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 65. England were cruising towards a large total at 2-73 when showers struck for a second time.
(Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
They had lost opener Alex Hales for an early duck but powered on regardless, with Buttler and Dawid Malan playing some powerful shots in a partnership of 56.
Malan continued to shine after his 82 on Wednesday night, crunching four boundaries in his 23 before he holed out off the bowling of Pat Cummins.
Buttler struck the ball cleanly throughout his knock, his own hot form also continuing after 68 in the series’ opener.
After the second rain delay England sought to make the most of their limited overs, taking 30 off the first eight balls when play resumed.
Australia recalled Smith in place of David Warner, who is suffering from a neck complaint after an incident in the field in game two.
The Australians will only play once more before the tournament begins, facing off against India in Brisbane on Monday.
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