Bowlers given enough rope, says Finch
BIGGER boundaries in the World Cup don’t scare Aussie opener Aaron Finch who says the home side is used to playing on larger grounds than most of their opponents.
An ICC edict to combat a perceived imbalance in favour of batsman in the one-day game, courtesy of jumbo-sized modern day bats, is to push boundaries out to as much as 82m where possible.
Most venues hosting World Cup games across Australia and New Zealand would struggle to meet such a requirement, with the square boundary at the MCG one possible exception.
Finch, who can monster a ball with the best of them, said the small grounds most World Cup contenders played on in their home countries could leave the Aussies in a better position to clear any ropes extended beyond previous playing conditions.
“In Australia we are lucky we have the capabilitiy to push them back,” the Geelong captain said yesterday.
“When you go to some countries in the subcontinent and New Zealand, the room is not there to push them back. I think that will work in our favour. We have prepared well for Australian conditions ... whether they push them back or not, we believe we have the firepower with bat and ball to play to the dimensions of the ground.”
As an opening batsman Finch wasn’t convinced the one-day game was all in the batsman’s favour, apart from rule changes that allow four fieldsmen only outside the inner-circle at any one time.
“I never feel sorry for bowlers. As an opening batsman you are always up against a new ball, so that’s hard enough,” he said.
“Bowlers have become unbelievably skilled as well. Blokes bowl three or four variations of slower balls, blokes are very skilled at bowling yorkers.
“I think the four (fielders) out is the only thing against them in one-day cricket.”
As for the bigger bats, Finch said his blade was “pretty regulation”, but conceded some players, including his opening partner David Warner, had taken them to the extreme.
“You see some of the bats around the world at the moment, they’re enormous,” he said.
“For me, that doesn’t make any difference, I use pretty regulation . . . bats.
“The size that we’ve seen in the summer for ‘Davey’ (Warner), it’s getting a bit ridiculous, isn’t it, if we’re honest.
“It makes it easier to hit sixes.
“But at times he could use a toothpick and get them over the fence.”