FINCH’S B’DAY BLUES

IT may have been his birthday, but Geelong’s Aaron Finch did not feel like celebrating after his white ball slump continued in Australia’s 21-run loss to South Africa in a rain-affected Twenty20 international.

Captain Finch will not have happy memories of turning 32 after being dismissed for seven as Australia was restricted to 7-87 in reply to the Proteas’ 6-108 in a 10-overs-a-side clash on the Gold Coast.

He said before the Metricon Stadium clash that batting technique changes made for his recent Test debut had affected his shorter format form.

The burly opener failed again on Saturday night but was unlucky, bowled by a Lungi Ngidi (2-16) delivery that kept low.

However, it was another white ball failure for Finch, who made only 59 runs (average 19) in Australia’s 2-1 oneday series loss to the Proteas.

And it was not a good look for the national one-day and T20 captain who has backed himself to succeed in all three formats.

Teammate Glenn Maxwell could empathise with Finch but backed his skipper to bounce back in Australia’s next assignment — a three-match T20 series against India starting on Wednesday.

“I can understand his frustration. You try to change for one format and then another sometimes falls off,” said Maxwell, who took 1-14 and topscored with 38 for Australia.

“I certainly noticed that … when I started getting better at four-day cricket, my one-day cricket was hopeless.

“You are giving and taking parts of your game. But I haven’t really noticed that much with Finchy. He got a grubber, he was a bit unlucky. I think he will be right.”

Finch will need to find some touch in the T20 series against India starting in Brisbane with the summer’s Test program also on the horizon.

He will have only one Sheffield Shield game for Victoria — against Queensland from November 27 — to stake a claim before Australia’s first Test against India in Adelaide next month.

And Finch is no guarantee of even opening for the Bushrangers in the Shield clash against the Bulls after usually being relegated to their middle order.

He enjoyed a successful Test debut, averaging 45.25 in Australia’s series against Pakistan in UAE before his white ball form fell away.