Image Credit- CA
After five Tests that produced just two individual
hundreds, Aaron Finch feels that Australia’s bowling attack has helped hide
some weaknesses in the batting lineup this season.
One of the biggest upsets in Test history saw
Australia lose to the West Indies by eight runs at the Gabba on Sunday
following an 8 for 94 collapse in a 216 chase. They were also 54 for 5 in the
opening inning prior to a comeback spearheaded by Pat Cummins, Alex Carey, and
Usman Khawaja.
Despite having won the first four Tests of the season,
the home team’s batting has been severely tested since they reached 487 against
Pakistan in Perth. There were just two individual hundreds, that of Travis Head
and David Warner, however Mitchell Marsh twice fell in the nineties and Steven
Smith hit 91 in Brisbane.
While Head hit a royal pair at the Gabba, Marnus
Labuschagne amassed 18 runs in three innings of play against the West Indies.
Labuschagne has averaged 28.25 this season. Head’s highest score in the five
Tests, aside from his match-winning 119 in Adelaide, was 40.
“Think the bowlers have been the ones who have
got them out of jail a few times, but also Usman Khawaja…and Mitch Marsh is
also pulling his weight in that regard. They’re not great numbers for a middle
order that I think have got some much talent.” Finch told ESPN’s Around
The Wicket show “The hundreds column is a concern for me. Guys are getting
starts, and that’s reflected in the numbers, it’s not like they’re averaging
six.
“If you have a bad series in two Tests like
Marnus [Labuschagne] that’s okay, everyone will have that at some point, but
there’s not enough hundreds. There’s a few cracks that have been papered over
from Usman Khawaja and the bowlers who have done a brilliant job for a long
time.”
Regarding Labuschagne in particular, there is still
hope that he will overcome his slump before the commencement of the Test series
against New Zealand in late February. Although he recognised that Labuschagne
was facing a minor technical difficulty, Michael Clarke stated that it was a
stage that nearly all players would experience at some point.
“The only thing I can see technically is that he
just looks to be squaring up a little bit with his right shoulder,” Clarke
said. “So mainly the balls that are that back-of-a-length, instead of
staying really side on like he does and back-foot defends the ball to cover or
to point, or even drops it to his feet, he’s just squaring up a little bit. And
that’s why he’s playing a little in front of himself, edging it to a second,
third [slip], gully area.
“Again, he’s such a good player, he’ll go away
now, he’ll work on that before New Zealand. You can’t write Marnus off. He’s
batting at No. 3 which is one of the toughest positions in Test cricket. Don’t
be surprised if he comes out against New Zealand and he’s the leading
run-scorer. About every top-class batsman goes through a stage like this.”