Before the World Cup, Clarke fumes over a star's exclusion and calls the selection weird

Posted by Xchange Tickets on October 11th, 2022

The 2015 World Cup champion captain has been baffled by selection decisions over the past two weeks as Australia has experimented with their starting lineup since returning from India.

Given that Cameron Green is not currently a member of Australia's World Cup squad, Clarke specifically referred to the decision to open with Cameron Green as a "mistake" and claimed that captain Aaron Finch should have been opening all along, with changes being made as little as possible so close to the competition.

“They’ve made a mistake in not picking Cameron Green,” Clarke said on the Big Sports Breakfast. “It’s as simple as that.

“My only concern is they’ve been giving Cameron Green every opportunity, I don’t know why they haven’t given Steve Smith that opportunity.

“Steve Smith can open the batting in T20 cricket. He’s in the squad, he’s a big chance of playing in this World Cup so surely you need him batting, making runs (and) in form, at this stage Cameron Green’s not in the World Cup. That’s what has been a little strange.”

Against Zimbabwe and New Zealand, Smith scored runs to get the home season off to a fast start.

In the first game of the away T20 series, he supported the innings by hitting 35 from 24 against India, but in his last three innings, he has failed to surpass 20.

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Being left out of the first T20 against the West Indies last week and then being left out of Australia's XI against England in Perth despite travelling to West Australia may not have helped his rhythm.

The 33-year-old Smith, who was more of a traditional batter surrounded by powerful all-rounders, received harsh treatment, according to Clarke, who felt that the player still had much to offer and was an important part of the team.

“Like, they took Steve Smith to Western Australia. Flew him to Perth to make him 12th man - that’s not right,” Clarke said.

“And don’t tell me Steve Smith has to bat No.3 or No.4.

“If he opens the batting, he will be the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup. He’s still that good a player.”

The great selection conundrum was who bats at No. 4, according to Clarke, who played for Australia in the 2010 T20 World Cup final, lost two ODI World Cups, and occasionally opened the batting.

The right-ability hander's to lead the team out of difficulty might pay off for the game when they lose early wickets, the former Australian captain pleaded with selectors. He believed T20 cricket required more than big hitters.

“The number four position is the unknown ... who’s batting at four,” Clarke said.

“If it’s Smitty, you’ve got to give him some cricket. As good as he is, I’d rather him walk out in the first game in the first World Cup game with some form, with some runs under his belt.

“I think that’s the position that they’re unsure of at the moment and that’s really going to come down to the style.

“My reason always for (including) someone like a Steve Smith in your team is because not all conditions are the same, if we lose two for not many, you’ve got one of the world’s best batsmen coming in,” he said.

“Steve smith can save you a game as well, he can find you a way of getting to 170 and have a total to defend rather than being bowled out for 100.

“I still think in T20 cricket you need one of those players in your top six batsmen.”

NRL great Laurie Daley said some players had a galvanising impact on others, and said removing someone with the aura of Smith could have a destabilising effect.

“I’ve spoken about this in footy, and I assume cricket is the same, when you look around the dressing shed or during a game, and you might be under the pump, but when you look around and you might have Steve Smith, Warner ... you’re still confident but if you haven’t got that type of player in your team, you’re sitting back wondering if you can still win,” he responded to Clarke on the Big Sports Breakfast.

Meanwhile, a bemused Clarke was surprised Finch had not opened the batting in recent matches, with Green instead afforded precious opportunities.

“Even playing around with Finchy, why’s he batting at number four if he’s going to open in the World Cup?” Clarke said. “That’s silly to me.

“Five games out from a World Cup, you’ve got to try and stabilise everything.”

Finch told Fox Cricket following Sunday’s eight run loss to England he is likely to return to the top of the order for the rest of the series against England.

Australian captain Aaron Finch reprimanded for on-field ‘audible obscenity’

Australian captain Aaron Finch has been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council for using an “audible obscenity” during the first T20 against England in Perth.

The 35-year-old lost his cool during the opening game of the series on Sunday night at Perth Stadium, cursing at the on-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch after an appeal for caught behind.

Finch questioned the umpires about whether the catch had carried to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade after consulting with his colleagues on whether to request a review.

The skipper was furious as the DRS timer ran out because the on-field umpires had not responded to his question.

“Could have been nice to know inside 15 f***ing seconds,” he vented in comments that were picked up by the stump microphones.

Finch has now been officially reprimanded for breaching Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to the “use of an audible obscenity during an international match”.

The Victorian avoided a fine because it was his first infraction in 24 months, but the Level 1 offence cost him one demerit point toward his disciplinary record.

There was no need for a formal hearing because Finch agreed to the punishment.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup on home soil, Australia has experimented with its batting lineup, with Finch moving to the middle order despite being one of the country's most productive openers in white-ball cricket.

But the potent right-hander declared that for Australia's upcoming T20 series against England, he will resume batting at the top of the order.

“We’re going to keep trying things. I’m going to go back to the top for the next game, which was always the plan,” he told Fox Cricket after Sunday’s defeat.

“We’d get to the first two (T20s against West Indies) and then this game, then I’d go back to the top as preparation for the World Cup.

“It was just about giving (Cameron Green) an opportunity at the top and to keep trying things. After this little burst, especially (with) guys coming off a lot of injuries as well … you have to be prepared.

“So just trying to get as many games into Greeny in case he has to be called into the squad.”

On Wednesday, the second Twenty20 match between Australia and England will begin at Canberra's Manuka Oval at 7:10 p.m. AEDT.

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