Aaron Finch said that the Australian team can rely on the bowling of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell in the ODIs against Sri Lanka.
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After winning the T20I series against Sri Lanka, the focus now shifts on the ODIs for the Australian national cricket team. However, the Australian team has been battling injuries. Earlier, Sean Abbott got ruled out, and then Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Marsh got injured in the T20I series.
In the latest setback, pacer Kane Richardson has gone home after sustaining a serious hamstring injury. The pacer got injured in the last T20I against Sri Lanka. Scott Boland has been added to the Australian ODI squad as a cover for the pacers. He was earlier included in the test squad only.
Aaron Finch backs bowling of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell
Australian announced the playing for the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. David Warner and Steve Smith are back in the playing 11 after missing the Pakistan tour, whereas Pat Cummins is also set to play his first ODI after a span of 18 months. Ashton Agar is the lone spinner in the playing eleven.
Interestingly, Australia have gone with just four specialist bowlers in the playing eleven. The injury to Mitch Marsh has been a blow for the combination of the side, but Aaron Finch is not concerned about the fifth bowling option. He said that the wickets in Pallekele will support the pacers, and Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis are good enough cover for the 5th bowler.
“We saw in the first couple of overs the other day (for the third T20) that there was enough pace and bounce in the wicket for quicks to have an effect,” Finch said ahead of the first ODI.
“We still feel as though going with the one spinner and the all-rounders in Maxwell and Stoinis, Marnus can bowl a few overs here and there as well, that we feel we’ve got enough cover for that fifth bowler.”
Cameron Green is also a potential all-rounder, but he will now bowl in the initial couple of ODIs to manage his workload for the test matches.
Australia Playing 11 for first ODI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson.
