You have to be performing all the time: Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch, who will be making his claim back in the side following a disastrous Test series against Sri Lanka has underlined the importance of performing well consistently to cement  a place in the side. This was in clear reference to Glenn Maxwell who was missing from the side after failing to be consistent in previous ODIs thus far.

Speaking ahead of the start of the series, Finch underlined that there was no one apart from skipper Steve Smith was a guaranteed starter for the opening ODI of the series against  Sri Lanka at the RPS in Colombo. “Besides the skipper (Steve Smith), no one else is really guaranteed a spot in the side,” Finch said in Colombo on Friday (August 19). “You have to be performing all the time. You just have to keep getting the business done and if you don’t, there’s always someone breathing down your neck for your spot.”

“When you’ve got young guys performing well, Travis Head went to England and got 175 (for Yorkshire) and played well in the last domestic one-day summer, there’s always someone breathing down your neck,” Finch said. “So you have to be performing all the time, or have a real lot of credits in the bank.”

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Aaron Finch also went on to add that the lads were indeed very disappointed with the Test series and added that it was something that had not gone down too well with the Australian management. “The guys are very disappointed with the Test series and how that went,” he said. “So the fresh guys coming in for the one-dayers, it’s our job to really pick up the energy and start at training. But we’re still very confident coming into this one-day series.

“We haven’t actually seen the (Test-squad) guys a hell of a lot,” he added. “So this will be our first chance as a full squad to get together. Understandably, the guys would have been disappointed but that’s history.”

Finally, speaking about the bowling attack, Finch stated that Australia’s chances would revolve around Mitchell Starc. “When you look at our bowling line-up you’ve got the skills of Mitchell Starc bowling fast and swinging it, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile, these guys who run in and hit the wicket,” he said. “That can be such a valuable asset, especially with two new balls. Generally, in the subcontinent you get a bit of skid with the brand-new ball,” he added.

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