Captain Aaron Finch says if he feels any hamstring twinge he’ll have no tinge of regret at possibly ending his Australian career on the sidelines.
Finch on Thursday rated himself a 70 per cent chance of playing in Australia’s do-or-die T20 World Cup clash against Afghanistan on Friday night.
But if he has one per cent of doubt come game time, Finch will withdraw from a fixture the Australians must win to have any hope of advancing to the semi-finals.
Finch said he hasn’t thought of his future beyond Friday night’s game, but he’s expected to call stumps on his international career at the end of the T20 cup after already retiring from one-dayers.
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Potentially ending his international career while injured on the sidelines wasn’t a factor in deciding whether to play against the Afghans, he said.
Aaron Finch (Photo by Chris Hyde-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
“It won’t make it harder one bit,” Finch told reporters on Thursday.
“If I feel like one per cent (doubt) would be compromising the side’s performance, I won’t play.
“If I don’t feel confident in my hamstring … if I feel any pain or anything like that, I won’t play.”
Finch said middle-order blaster Tim David, also suffering a hamstring niggle, was in the exact situation.
“The worst possible scenario is that you leave the guys short out there … you don’t want to compromise the team performance by having a guy go down who comes in with a niggle,” he said.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis has been cleared of his hamstring scare and will play against the Afghans.
Australia sit in third spot in their group behind leaders New Zealand and England – all three nations have five points.
The Kiwis play Ireland in Adelaide on Friday afternoon before Australia’s game, while England meet Sri Lanka in the last game of the group on Saturday.
Should the three favoured nations win, net run-rate will decide the two countries progressing to the semis but Finch was wary of overly focusing on the maths equations.
“You still have to earn the right to be able to push for a net run rate,” he said.
“The the last thing that you want to happen is you push too hard, you compromise the two points (for winning) and then potentially if something happened in the Sri Lankan-England game, you leave yourself vulnerable.
“There’s obviously some scenarios there that we need to keep an eye on throughout the game so, if we get in a good position, that we can maximise it.”
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think she'd like him at home now.
matth
Roar Guru
Mrs. Finch?
matth
Roar Guru
If Australia chase I have no doubt that Finch will end his career on the sidelines, unless he carries his bat again :laughing:
Marty
Roar Rookie
Yep, no doubt it would be a tough ask, which is all the more reason he should have been given opportunities in the pool games to get some game time under his belt. I guess this is what happens when you but all your eggs in a 35yo basket with a dodgy hammy.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Has anyone watched Finch in the field and running between the wickets? Can you imagine that at 70% fitness? Clive Palmer would be faster. Surely Finch knows that the only person who'll be happy if he plays is Finch himself.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The only reason Marsh doesn't bowl is because Finch and McDonald don't rank him. He is so much better than Stoinis and Maxwell. Nevertheless, none of those 3 are needed if Green plays.
Frank delosa
Guest
The AUS XI that should play but WONT Warner (very final chance) Green Marsh (needs to bowl too) Smith (anchor) Maxwell (sigh hasnt done well) Stoinis (whatever) Wade Starc Zampa Agar Richardson AUS deserve everything they get when they miss out. Poor selections and same old ragtag bundle of a squad.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Geez who'd want to be Green right now though - everyone's been calling for your selection for weeks and then you're suddenly thrown in at the last minute and asked to score a fifty at a 200 strike rate so we can have a remote chance of qualifying for a semi-final we'll likely lose anyway... poor bloke'll probably get a duck and then pasted by those same commentators.
The Bush
Roar Guru
He is still hoping that he can pull a rabbit out of that hat and perform well enough to get an IPL contract like Warner did last world cup. This is honestly just a mean comment. Whether you think he's held on too long and failed to stand aside is one thing, but to suggest that he's only playing to try and get an IPL contract is outrageous. Say what you will about him, but Finch seems like a genuinely nice guy who loves playing for Australia and cares about his team mates.
Frank delosa
Guest
The decision that no one should be suprised about........expect Finch to score less than 10 or get out trying to hoist a good ball for six. A selfish move to be honest. AUs deserve to miss the semi finals based on the old school unimaginative selections alone. Hopefully this horrible failure of a campaign will teach the selectors a lesson. AUs should be ok vs Windies in Tests but the wafer thin batting lineup will come undone in the South African tests. Time to move on from Warner, hasn't been in good test condition for years!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
A chance of a blistering innings at the top of the order in the powerplay seems to be our only hope of making the semis. It has to be Green. Finch is less than 10% of pulling off that type of performance. Green could get out early of course, but if he doesn't, then we get the runs we need. Time to roll the dice.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
“But if he has one percent doubt come game time, Finch will withdraw.”Well when you strain a hamstring on a Monday and you want to play cricket and sprint in the field and sprint between wickets with 3 days between games it is not possible to be 100 percent positive you’ll get through. It just seems like no one is prepared to make the touch decision. Finch should be out regardless because Green has to play and open, in the hope we can be 70 off the first 6 overs instead of the norm so far of 1 for 35 off 6. This decision should have been made days ago and new captain announced so they can get on with it and get behind the new captain.
Marty
Roar Rookie
70 off 30? Sounds pretty good to me!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Finch knows that it will take little for his replacement to out perform him. He is still hoping that he can pull a rabbit out of that hat and perform well enough to get an IPL contract like Warner did last world cup.