JONTY BANKS explores some of the themes to watch out for ahead of Australia's T20I series against Sri Lanka
Australia will not have a single specialist left-handed batter to call upon at the top of the order for the start of their T20I series against Sri Lanka, with David Warner rested and Travis Head released to play in the Sheffield Shield.
Although Matthew Wade is a viable option, moving him from his favored 'finishing' role, where he played a famous hand in toppling Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final, would be a contentious move. If Wade is kept down the order, it poses an interesting question as to the plans the Aussies will employ to keep Wanindu Hasaranga at bay.
A top order featuring Aaron Finch, Ben McDermott, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell seems most likely, and with wrist spin the Achilles heel of this Australian side in recent times, the world's top-ranked T20 bowler will fancy his chances against a glut of right-handers.
The 24-year-old leg-spinner has had a remarkable start to his international career, taking 52 wickets at 13.71 apiece in 33 T20Is. Of these 52 victims, 43 have been right-handed and 29 of those either lbw or bowled. And when considering his suffocating economy rate of 6.21, the stars seem aligned for Hasaranga to stamp his authority on the series.
If there's one lesson worth learning when it comes to Australian cricket, it's that you should write Josh Hazelwood off at your peril. The fast bowler spent 1,626 days in international T20 exile, only to find a new lease of life with the white ball in hand five years on.
As expected from such a fine bowler in Test cricket, Hazelwood has generally been very good with the new ball, hitting a nagging line and length, and frustrating the world's best on a regular basis. And given the responsibility of plying his trade at the death, the seamer excelled at the T20 World Cup, picking up 11 wickets at a touch under eight runs an over.
Ben McDermott had a Big Bash to remember (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
But Hazlewood will have his hands full with Sri Lankan powerhouse Charith Asalanka who, when coming in at No.3, has brought a refreshingly positive approach to an inexperienced Sri Lankan batting line-up.
During the World Cup he amassed 231 runs at a strike rate of 147.13 and showed the promise needed to fill the breach left by Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
However, with Asalanka's aggressive stroke play meeting Hazelwood’s metronomic accuracy, one will eventually have to budge, and whoever comes out on top in this duel will see their side’s chance of victory greatly increase.
Following the Big Bash, a number of Australia's 16-man squad find themselves in fine form, none more so than Ben McDermott, who cracked 577 runs at 48.08 to top the runs chart.
The destructive Hobart Hurricanes batter captured the imagination of the cricketing world after becoming the first man in history to hit back-to-back centuries in the BBL. Scores of 110 not out and 127 versus Melbourne Renegades forced himself into the international frame, and he has been duly rewarded with a call-up.
With Warner and Mitchell Marsh both rested for the series, McDermott could be primed for a run beside Aaron Finch at the top of the order.
In his 19 previous Australia appearances – 17 of those in T20s – McDermott didn't manage a score above 35. But if he can take his rich vein of form into this series, he could be knocking on the selectors' door with a home World Cup awaiting on the horizon.
Lasith Malinga is back... (Ishara Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images)
Fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga has been appointed Sri Lanka's bowling strategy coach for the five-match series. He will work with Sri Lanka's youthful bowling unit and bring "tactical insights and expertise to help the on-field execution of strategic plans", according to the SLC.
Renowned for his death-bowling expertise, Malinga played 84 T20Is for Sri Lanka and is one of only four bowlers to claim 100 T20I wickets. And although the T20 World Cup was seen as a huge step forward for Sri Lankan cricket, the seam attack crumbled under the intense pressure which Warner and Finch applied when the sides met in the group stage.
Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara were targeted by the Australian openers in their defence of 154, conceding 33 and 48 from their three-over spells and overstepping twice in the powerplay to add insult to injury.
For Sri Lanka to stand a chance of keeping this power-packed Aussie line-up at bay, Malinga might well need to sprinkle a little of his magic on this raw but undoubtedly talented seam attack.
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Posted by Rory on 11/02/2022 at 10:41
Fantastic insight. Already showing the importance of Hasaranga dismissing 3 of the Aussies top 5 in the 1st innings.