Finch tips more bolters for Tests
AUSTRALIAN Test hopeful Aaron Finch says the days of serving long Sheffield Shield apprenticeships are over and more bolters will be wearing the baggy green.
The 15-man Test squad has gathered in Brisbane to begin preparations for next month’s two-match campaign against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
The Test series will be Australia’s first since captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft were suspended following the ballhas tampering scandal Africa in March.
The absence of Smith, Warner and Bancroft, combined with injuries to star fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, has opened to the door for a new wave of Test cricketers.
Short-form specialist Finch, 31, has earnt his first call-up to new coach Justin Langer’s Test squad following a 135-match international career to go with 76 first-class matches.
Queensland quick Brendan Doggett has gained selection despite playing only nine firstclass matches and Bulls teammate Marnus Labuschagne in South a modest batting average of 34.07 from 35 matches.
But Finch said the days of toiling away in the Shield waiting for a Test call-up were over and fans should get used to players being picked on potential rather than results.
“There are a lot of young players who are super-talented and getting more opportunities than they did 20 years ago when it was the old-fashioned, ‘Grind your runs out for six, seven, eight years and do your apprenticeship in the Shield’,” he said.
“There are so many different formats and guys just aren’t playing as much as they used to.
“The guys that are coming through … Marnus has had a great couple of years, Michael Neser has been superb for Queensland. Brendan Doggett is new on the scene and played really well.”