Brisbane: Australian T20 specialist batter Chris Lynn has urged fans to keep backing Aaron Finch as he leads the defending champions’ campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup at home, saying the entire squad and team management is behind the veteran opener.
Finch’s prolonged run of poor scores came to an end on Monday when he scored a patient 44-ball 63 in Australia’s 42-run win against Ireland in a Super 12 Group 1 game at Brisbane, though the 35-year-old captain also sustained a hamstring strain, which will require scans.
Despite the captain being cautious in his batting approach, Lynn believes the kind of performance he gave against Ireland would be pivotal to Australia’s World Cup hopes.
“Obviously a lot of people have their opinions on his form, the old Aaron Finch generally scores a little bit quicker than what he did last night, but you’ve got to start somewhere,” Lynn said on SEN WA Breakfast on Tuesday.
“If Australia makes it to the final, he goes out and whacks a quick 50 or 100 then everything that’s spoken about the last six or ten months is irrelevant. He knows his game, the boys and everyone are behind him, let’s just hope he can continue this form of 50 or… last night, 66 (63 not out).”
With the injury cloud hanging over Finch, Lynn is confident Australia have the depth to overcome potential Finch absence.
“Obviously that change of (Josh) Inglis missing out, he would have been the obvious choice, he’s out of the squad, Cameron Green is a no-brainer,” he said. “There might another injury or two so Steve Smith I think is another obvious candidate to come in, but they’ve got options.
“I think the beauty of the Australian line-up is that guys like Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, they’ve opened the batting before so if they want to bring guys in, they’ve got the ability to bring them into the middle order as well, so plenty of options there.”
Australia take on Afghanistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
–IANS