Langer flags Finch move
New-look Aussies ready to battle England
AUSTRALIA kicks off a fresh era under new captain Tim Paine at The Oval tomorrow night, confident its team of rookies can shock England in the five-match ODI series.
The host boasts a woeful one-day record against Australia, winning 52 of 142 matches.
However, it is the No.1 ranked 50-over team and has been transformed under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan after a shambolic showing at the 2015 World Cup.
Despite the lofty status, Eng- land goes into the game after a shock six-run loss to Scotland in Edinburgh and will be without talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes and key bowler Chris Woakes.
But as it showed by coming so close to Scotland’s total of 376, it boasts great batting depth and regularly posts scores in excess of 300. In the last series between the sides, in Australia earlier this year, England claimed a 4-1 win.
With the tourists missing the suspended Steve Smith and David Warner in addition to Ashes-winning bowling spearheads Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, the hosts are heavily fancied to win the series.
Australian coach Justin Langer admits his team desperately needs more runs from the middle order if it is to have any chance of success and for Victorian Glenn Maxwell to rediscover his batting mojo.
Maxwell has scored one and three in his visits to the crease against Sussex and Middlesex last week and had a lean IPL campaign where he averaged 14 for the Delhi Daredevils.
With Travis Head scoring a century as an opener against Middlesex and Aaron Finch crunching a run-a-ball 50 batting at five at Lord’s, Langer says he is tempted to move the vice-captain down the order.
Finch has an outstanding record against England facing the new ball where he averages more than 55 with five centuries in 20 matches.
“Aaron Finch’s record opening the batting for the last five or six games for Australia, and against England, is just brilliant,” Langer said. “He’s as fast as anyone between the wickets, which is a key focus for our one-day cricket. He’s fearless. His strengths are when he hits the ball down the ground. He actually changes momentum of the game.”
Possible team: D’Arcy Short, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Tim Paine (capt, wk), Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Kane Richardson.