FINCH’S TEST CALL
Geelong superstar set to wear the baggy green
AARON Finch is earmarked to make his Test debut in Pakistan as Australian coach Justin Langer moves to lock in one of several key-batting posts for the two-match series in October.
The Geelong Advertiser can reveal Finch has been told to pack his bags for the United Arab Emirates, with the powerful right-hander the preferred candidate to open the batting.
Queenslander Matt Renshaw is also understood to have secured a spot at the top of the order as Langer re-jigs the line-up in the wake of the sandpaper scandal in South Africa that resulted in bans to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft in April.
The selection news comes as Australian cricket greats threw their weight behind Finch’s Test inclusion, with the Victorian in career-best form.
As Kerry O’Keefe urged the selectors to take a punt on Finch, former Australian Test captain Kim Hughes and ex-Victorian wicketkeeper batsman Darren Berry yesterday declared the Geelong batsman was worthy of a baggy green.
“His form in the whiteball version of the game is commanding strong recognition and respect,” Berry said.
“He’s in career-best form, supremely confident and he should be top of the box.”
Hughes has also backed Finch to find a spot in the team, but in the middle order.
“His performances in the shorter form of the game have been absolutely outstanding,” Hughes said.
“And for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why he was made to bat down the order in England, I found that mind boggling.
“But his Sheffield Shield record has been very, very poor. He has got better, there’s no doubt about that, but opening Test cricket compared to one-day cricket is chalk and cheese.
“Matt Renshaw will be one of the first players picked and Finch would need to perform in Shield cricket. He’s been vulnerable outside off-stump, but he has improved.
“He’d be confident, he’s experienced but I don’t look at him as a Test opener. I look at him as a No.5. He needs to open in Shield cricket first and it’s the most difficult job to be a Test opener.”
Finch has clubbed 684 runs at 85.5 in a 10-match stint at both domestic and international level, notching a recordbreaking 172 in a T20 against Zimbabwe and an unbeaten 131 for Surrey earlier this month.
When he returns home, it’s understood that Finch will work with Australian batting coach Graeme Hick to hone his craft against the redball, while testing his technique against spin, which is what he will face in the subcontinent.
“It will be interesting to see if they go for the youthful Renshaw and invest time in him, or they go for a bloke who’s experienced and been through the ring- er and is in career-best form (in Finch),” Berry said. “If they are going to make Finch the one-day captain, and that’s what I’m hearing, then Langer could get Finch in the Test side as well to add a bit of experience to the group.
“Both of them are a bit of a punt, but they’re going to have to take a punt one way or another with Shield cricket only starting in October.”
Former Australian Test paceman Merv Hughes would also like to see Finch face the new ball, but believes the Colac export has failed to prove himself. And stats back it up. Since 2010, Finch has averaged just 31.20 in 95 innings.
His numbers improved last season, lifting his average to 35.28 in 15 knocks for Victoria.
“I love Finchy to death and he’s been fantastic for the Australian side, but I think you’ll find he has to do a lot more in Shield cricket to get a berth in the Test side,” Hughes said.
“He’s not opening in Shield cricket and his performances in the longer format haven’t been great. He’s been in and out of the side, and I know he was a regular member last year, but I don’t think he did that well.
“People get confused with one-day, T20 and longer format form and because he’s making runs everyone thinks he should be in.
“I’d love Finchy to be in, but personally I don’t think he’s done enough.”