Major 'concern' for champs' World Cup campaign

2 years ago 120

From the infinitesimal New Zealand opener Finn Allen took 14 runs from Mitchell Starc's archetypal over successful Sydney, Australia's World Cup run was connected beingness support.

The Australian broadside sits successful past spot successful Group 1, and should nett tally complaint determine the semi finalists, arsenic it did 12 months ago, the location federation could find itself watching the knockout matches connected television.

All 3 of Australia's front-line quicks were costly astatine the SCG, with Starc (0-36), Josh Hazlewood (2-41) and Pat Cummins (0-46) each leaking runs.

Starc, agelong noted for his quality to marque an aboriginal breakthrough, has taken conscionable 1 wicket successful the powerplay overs successful 2022.

"That statistic is simply a concern," erstwhile Australian skipper Mark Taylor told Wide World of Sports.

"It's absorbing to look astatine the mode Australia has gone astir T20 cricket. We look to play it much conventionally than most. Our first-choice accelerated bowlers, Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins, are the aforesaid successful Tests arsenic they are successful T20s.

"A batch of different sides person gone the different way. England person bowlers similar Sam Curran and Reece Topley, who's conscionable gone home, they've gone the different way."

Taylor said England's bowling line-up reminds him of a shot bullpen.

"England has a batch of antithetic arms doing antithetic things," helium noted.

"A left-armer similar Curran bowling change-ups, the gait of (Mark) Wood, spinners similar (Adil) Rashid and Moeen (Ali). There's a batch of variety.

"I situation accidental that's thing Australia volition look astatine aft this World Cup, due to the fact that that's wherever I deliberation T20 cricket is going.

"But, successful a way, Australia has acceptable its course. They've picked beauteous overmuch the aforesaid broadside that won 12 months ago."

Stream each Australian men's T20 World Cup lucifer positive selected different matches, including the finals, unrecorded and escaped connected 9Now.

Australia stuck with gait done the powerplay against New Zealand, with Adam Zampa not introduced until the seventh over, portion Glenn Maxwell didn't vessel astatine all.

Nine commentator Steve O'Keefe, who regularly bowls successful the powerplay for the Sydney Sixers, understood the logic of holding Zampa back.

"I deliberation traditionally you spell with a finger-spinner up beforehand alternatively than a wrist-spinner," helium told Wide World of Sports.

"I deliberation Australia truly wanted to marque a connection with the accelerated bowlers. Hazlewood is the champion T20 bowler successful the world, and Starc sets the code by trying to plaything the ball.

"If it's going to determination it's going to beryllium aboriginal on. It didn't enactment against New Zealand obviously.

"I deliberation if Australia had their clip again, they whitethorn person looked astatine Ashton Agar successful the team, due to the fact that we saw however good (Mitchell) Santner and (Ish) Sodhi bowled successful those conditions.

"But hindsight is simply a beauteous thing, and I tin understand wherefore they went the mode they did."

Despite the size of the mauling astatine the hands of New Zealand, Taylor is expecting the aforesaid 11 to instrumentality the tract against Sri Lanka successful Perth connected Tuesday night.

"The lone question people I person is whether Australia needs Steve Smith successful that side. For the lucifer against Sri Lanka, I'd astir apt beryllium picking the aforesaid broadside that played against New Zealand," helium said.

"But I'm decidedly not ruling Steve Smith retired of a relation aboriginal successful the tournament. When they play England connected Friday, possibly a slower transportation successful Melbourne, Smith mightiness beryllium amended suited successful a relation wherever you tin conscionable enactment the shot around, alternatively than conscionable bash it.

"At the moment, Australia has gone the all-out onslaught option, and anticipation that a mates of them travel off, but they mightiness request a antithetic attack astatine the MCG."

O'Keefe concurred, besides believing Australia volition defy the impulse to bring successful Smith oregon Agar.

"My 11 for Perth doesn't change. I deliberation Andrew McDonald and Aaron Finch volition support religion successful that aforesaid 11 to get it done against Sri Lanka."

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