Aussies aiming to end ODI drought

We’ve had just one win in 11 games

AUSTRALIA has won only one of its past 11 one-day internationals.

That’s not a great record for the reigning World Cup champions who begin another one-day campaign on Sunday against an English white-ball outfit that these days hardly ever loses.

Admittedly, every one of those 11 games Australia played was overseas, and among them one was abandoned and two were rained out, both during the disappointing Champions Trophy effort in the UK in June when the only completed match was a loss, to England.

That’s where the tourists are strongest too. England’s 2017 record of 15 wins from 20 one-day matches included 14 games at home.

But through 15 completed one-day internationals in 2017, the Australian team won only five times, four against Pakistan last summer.

There was a revolving door for players over the past 12 months too as a combination of injuries and rotations resulted in 25 players getting a game.

That number should grow at the MCG on Sunday with Cameron White’s surprise recall, and the chance for one of two West Australian quicks Jhye Richardson or Andrew Tye to make their one-day debut.

Aussie opener Aaron Finch was part of the turnstile policy, dropped for the home games last summer before finding himself as captain of the team in New Zealand.

He’s locked in as opener, for now, but conceded that as selectors continued their pursuit of another World Cup win in the UK in 2019, even more new faces could get a go.

“Being still 18 months out there is still quite a lot of one-day cricket to come, so I’m sure there will be a little bit of experimentation outside the key eight or nine players,” Finch said.

“There are guys who are bankers – Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Davey Warner – but there is still a chance to tinker with a few things and make sure we get our balance right.”

Included for the five-game series against England, spinner Adam Zampa said he felt like he was “on the edge” with several, including Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar, putting on good shows in the Big Bash.

“I really want to cement my spot in this team. I feel like I’m on edge a little bit at the moment. That’s a good thing for me, I think I perform my best when there are guys trailing me,” he said.