Finch set for Test call-up
Suspended trio leave door open
AARON Finch’s stunning recent haul of white-ball runs looks set to land him a Test call-up today amid a mood of uncertainty about Australia’s batting stocks.
The Geelong batsman, 31, looms as one of three or four potential new faces in the 15man squad coach Justin Langer will take to Pakistan in October for two Tests in the UAE in October.
The Geelong Advertiser revealed in July that Finch had been earmarked for this tour.
The absence of suspended trio Steve Smith, Dave Warner and Cameron Bancroft has opened the door for change and Finch, along with fellow Victorian Glenn Maxwell, could be among the beneficiaries.
Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns has been in India with the Australia A team where all-rounder Mitch Marsh, who had ankle surgery in April, secured his Test spot with a century in a four-day game against India A, as did incumbent batsman Usman Khawaja.
Of the next line of batting contenders South Australian Travis Head performed best while South African born Queenslander Marnus Labuschagne could be a bolter for the UAE series after scores of 60 and 37 in the opening match against India A.
Noise was also growing around a return for resurgent quick Peter Siddle, who is 33 but has taken 34 wickets in English county cricket this season, to help a pace attack minus Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Marsh, captain of the “A” team in India, made a case for Victorian Chris Tremain, who has toiled well in two matches on the subcontinent.
“He’s the sort of bloke who will do anything the captain wants him to do and he’s very skilful,” he said.
A late afternoon phone hook-up yesterday between Langer and the selection panel was set to confirm the squad which will play Australia’s first Test since the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Langer recently said he didn’t know who the best six batsmen in Australia were, but wanted to reward performance, not talent, a big tick for Finch.
The Victorian blasted a competition high 589 runs at an average of 147 for Surrey in just nine matches in the English domestic T20 competition, coming off a world record 172 for Australia in a T20 against Zimbabwe in July.
He was also elevated to Surrey’s first class team for the first time, making scores of 43 and 32 to underline his red ball credentials, having also scored more than 1200 runs for the Vics in the past two Sheffield Shield seasons.
Last Friday Finch tweeted a picture of himself at a promotional shoot for one of Cricket Australia’s sponsors, wearing the Test uniform.
Victorian spinner Jon Holland is certain to share the spin duties with Nathan Lyon and Queensland’s Michael Neser, could be picked as the fourth seamer.