Aaron Finch Hails Australia’s All-Round Effort at Gabba

By: BCCI

India won the toss and chose to bat first in both ODIs and on both occasions put up a 300-plus score. But such was the quality of batting from Australia that they chased down the target successfully on both instances with ease. If it was the Bailey-Smith partnership that got them home in Perth, it was Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh’s 145-run stand that set the mode for the run-chase at the Gabba. Finch believed the success in run-chases was a lot owing to adaptability and self confidence.

“We have always had confidence that we can chase down any total,” Finch said. “When you look at a chase of 309 you still have to bat unbelievably well. You have to adapt your game slightly and make it a running game. You have to pick up a boundary and at the same time be creative in how you chase it. At the Gabba, the ground is so big that it is not such a power game. You cannot make 12 in an over by hitting sixes like you can do at the WACA or the MCG that have short boundaries.”

Finch by his own acceptance agreed it took some time for him to get into the groove. He applauded the Indian bowlers to keep him and Shaun Marsh silent in the initial stages of the game. “We were both struggling to time it and Marsh was batting beautifully. I felt I was hitting the ball nicely but just couldn’t hit it in the gaps. They bowled really well for the 16-17 over period. Sometimes you just got to give credit to the bowlers.

“We both talked about it during the drinks breaks and we stayed calm and we knew that the wicket does get better and better as it gets darker and the lights begin to take effect. At one point I was 30 off 60-odd. So I was conscious to try and take the risk factor out and try and accumulate. The run-rate got up to 7 per over at one time. We made sure we batted calmly and dragged it down without exposing the new batsman to a seven per over run-chase.”

The opener also credited his side’s bowlers for restricting India to 308 in fifty overs though it lacked some experience and was missing some big names. “India were off to a flier. Rohit batted really well and Ajinkya Rahane was off to a flier as well. We were looking at the back end of something like 340 and it was an outstanding job from the bowlers at the back of the innings.

“We had found out that our bowling attack has had less games than Mitchell Johnson’s by himself. It is a real credit with the way the guys are applying themselves. They are training hard and learning from everyone, using all their resources and fighting.

“There are some really skillful bowlers there and down the line they will definitely get their rewards. Joel Paris and Scott Boland are playing only their second game but they are having an impact. Kane Richardson played only his 9th game today and he too put his hand up. These are great things to see.”