da dobrowin： After the 3-0 defeat to South Africa, the late-season series against New Zealand will be another test for Australia’s dipping ODI form
da leao： Alex Malcolm10-Mar-2020Top order tempoAaron Finch, David Warner and Steven Smith are unequivocally Australia’s best top-three combination in both formats. Langer admitted his senior trio is weary after 12 months of non-stop cricket and that may explain their lean ODI series against South Africa. But more broadly there’s some things to ponder. Since January 2019, Australia’s top three have the highest combined average in ODIs (in a minimum of five matches): 51.64. Australia’s middle-order problems are well known but it’s also causing tempo issues for the top three. They strike at a combined rate of 87.30, compared to India’s 90.70. The top three of the World Cup winners England average 49.73 and strike at 102.25.There were times during the World Cup where Australia’s top three were too cautious, admitting internally there was a fear of getting out. Warner has played closer to a T20 tempo in India and South Africa this year striking at 110.52 but aside from his exceptional unbeaten century in the first ODI against India in Mumbai, he’s been caught in the ring three times in five innings trying to accelerate in the powerplay. Meanwhile, Smith has averaged 61.42 and struck at 86.69 in Australia’s last eight ODIs with a century and three half-centuries, but the only game Australia won was when he didn’t bat.By the 2023 World Cup in India, Warner and Finch will both be 36 while Smith will be 34. There is no reason the trio won’t still be Australia’s best top three at that point but finding a consistent tempo and plan for that trio will be essential for Australia’s success.Middle-order malaise”Everyone in the world is looking for it,” Langer said after the South Africa series. “It’s a role that’s there for someone to grab hold of. No one at this stage has absolutely secured it, but there’s good opportunities there for someone to do that. It’s really important for us in T20 cricket and one-day cricket.”Australia need some answers in both formats. While Australia’s top three have had the best average in ODIs since the start of 2019, Nos. 4-7 have the sixth-worst average of 34.77 while striking at 98.28, with 13 players tried in those roles. England average 44.69 and strike at 105.64 with 10 players used. Australia doesn’t have players bashing down the door in those roles.It is much harder to develop as a middle-order short-form specialist in Australia because the grounds are so much bigger than India and England and the craft requires more than just power-hitting. Australia look set to continue with Marnus Labuschagne at No. 4 although his similarity to Smith can make the pair easier to contain together in the middle overs as both India and South Africa did in the recent series. Alex Carey’s form and role has changed regularly over the last 12 months and whilst he is settled in the side as the vice-captain, his specific batting role seems anything but.Glenn Maxwell returning fit and healthy could help but he is not the panacea. Australia needs good players of spin who can power-hit in the last 20 overs. Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, and D’Arcy Short were all tried in the two formats in South Africa. Ashton Turner was given a run in India while it was Marcus Stoinis’ role in the World Cup. But none have bed it down.