Angry Aussies are back with lift in intensity but still yet to prove they're legit World Cup contenders

In the immortal words of LL Cool J, don’t call it a comeback.

Australia’s breakthrough win gives them a chance to salvage their World Cup mission but they still have a long way to go before they can be considered legitimate contenders for the trophy.

Their win over a struggling and under-strength Sri Lankan side has lifted them to the not so dizzying heights of eighth on the standings with a 1-2 record but it merely papered over the cracks of their myriad problems. 

They were close to going into the match without a specialist spinner with the sole tweaker in their squad, Adam Zampa, needing to pass a fitness test to play after suffering back spasms.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell did a solid job with the ball for the third straight match but the selection panel’s befuddling decision to roll with just Zampa in the touring party continues to be an issue. 

Adam Zampa celebrates the wicket of Maheesh Theekshana. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Sean Abbott seems to be in the squad as a specialist sub fielder – even when the Aussies take on a lower-ranked nation later in the tournament and one of the main three quicks have a rest, his services do not seem to be particularly needed.

If he were to “suffer” and “injury” while fielding or running out the drinks in Friday’s match against Pakistan at Bengaluru, the Australians would have a much better balanced squad if Tanveer Sangha or Ashton Agar, if he’s recovered from his calf strain, were brought in to replace Abbott.

The Aussies are hopeful Travis Head will be back on deck for next Wednesday’s encounter in Delhi with the Netherlands. 

Once he’s back at the top of the order, Mitchell Marsh will slot back in at first drop with Steve Smith at four and Marnus Labuschagne potentially squeezed out. 

Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of Pathum Nissanka. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

There is a case to be made that Marsh would be better off in the middle order at five with Josh Inglis and Maxwell to follow before the bowlers.

With Maxwell excelling with his off-spinners, Marcus Stoinis could end up being the odd one out at the selection table but with Marsh sending down just one over in his past 13 ODIs, it would be a gamble to rely on him as the sixth option if one of the main bowlers has an off day.

Australia clawed back a little of their mojo in the five-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Lucknow.

After looking lackadaisical in the field in the losses to India and South Africa, there was an intensity to the Australians again even if they weren’t perfect – Inglis shelled a nick off Maxwell while Labuschagne was unable to pull in a speccy at midwicket. 

They had looked too casual on several occasions in the loss to the Proteas but the angry Aussies were back against the Sri Lankans. 

There was an intensity about them in the field, Mitchell Starc warned opener Kusal Perera about backing up too far at the non-striker’s end on three occasions and Pat Cummins was proactive with his bowling changes, shuffling his six bowlers, including himself, in short spells until he got the breakthrough to end the opening stand on 125.

“We’d mentioned it out there,” Zampa said in his post-match media conference when asked about maintaining their intensity in the field even when the Sri Lankan openers were well on top.

Glenn Maxwell. (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

“The first two games, we’d known that we’d been a bit flat and then that (partnership) happened again. The conversation around the drinks breaks and even the early wickets there was to lift the energy a bit and I thought the fielders did a really good job of that.” 

From there the Sri Lankans wilted as Zampa found his groove after his recent lean trot while Cummins (with his bowling and a run-out of Dunith Wellalage) and Starc were too accurate for the careless batters.

“Pat led from the front. His spell changed the momentum of the game,” Zampa added. “And then same as in the field, that run-out, those little things can turn scores from 210 to 260 and it’s game on.”

The batting showed some backbone with Marsh, Inglis and Labuchagne digging in after David Warner was dismissed by a Joel Wilson classic (just clipping leg stump) and Steve Smith was trapped by a delivery so plumb that even he didn’t review it.

The Sri Lankan seamers gifted Inglis several short deliveries, a no-no when you are bowling to a player who has grown up on Perth’s bouncy wickets and it put the nervous keeper at ease as he pulled and cut his way to the boundary.

Josh Inglis. (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Despite cruising to victory with 14 overs to spare, the Australians shouldn’t kid themselves. The Sri Lankans had also lost their first two matches, were without captain Dasun Shanaka due to a thigh injury and entered this tournament without fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera (pectoral) and all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (hamstring).

Pakistan, despite their heavy loss to India, will be a much sterner opponent on Friday with the ability to go big with the bat, as they did when they chased down a target of 345 against Sri Lanka, or rip through Australia with the ball due to their varied attack led by Shaheen Shah Afridi. 

Australia won a match they had to win after their abysmal first two displays but they’re still a long way off the pacesetters at this tournament, namely India, New Zealand and South Africa (that was, until they lost to the Dutch … the Proteas are choking early this time around). 

England’s upset loss to Afghanistan helps Australia’s chances of sneaking into the semis but they will need further exponential improvement to be any hope of getting their hands on the trophy.