The debate over Chris Lynn’s position in the batting order will rage in the aftermath of Australia’s loss to South Africa in Hobart.
Promoted to open the batting, Lynn was out for a golden duck to get Australia off to the worst possible start.
He’s not the only batsman feeling the heat, but it did raise more questions about the Big Bash superstar’s rightful place in the order after the failure.
In three matches, Lynn scored just 59 at 19.66, but was in good company with captain Aaron Finch (57 runs at 19), Glenn Maxwell (61 runs at 20.33) and Travis Head (15 runs at 5).
It was a disaster for the top order and one of Australia’s greatest-ever opening batsmen has his doubts whether Lynn should open with the World Cup in England and Wales in May next year.
Speaking on Triple M’s Rush Hour with Jars and Louie, Adam Gilchrist said it’s pointless to have Lynn open.
“I personally probably see him in the middle order,” Gilchrist said.
“But I think at the end of the day we’re probably warming a seat there (in the opening position) for when Warner comes back. So it doesn’t matter who has a crack there.”
It comes after Aaron Finch has backed Lynn to wrap up an opening position after making the decision on Saturday night.
“We had a chat (Saturday) night and went through it and both slept on it and we were excited about it,” Finch said to Cricket.com.au.
“We thought it was a really attacking move to try and take South Africa head-on in that power play, something we hadn’t nailed in this three-game series so far, and we wanted to fight fire with fire.
“It didn’t pay off, but that’s cricket. Some days it comes off and you get off to a flyer and that makes it, down the line, a lot simpler.
“It was an attacking option to put Chris at the top and change him and Travis. I think to put a couple of guys up there who can take it on and get off to a bit of a flyer is an attacking move.”
Lynn will be feeling the heat as he has yet to fire for Australia.
In four ODIs, Lynn averages just 18.75, while in 14 T20s, he average 19.45.
Lynn was the top scorer in the JLT One-Day Cup throughout September and October, scoring 452 at 75.33, including two centuries and three 50s.
Finch said Australia’s batsmen are under pressure to keep their spots when the “one dimensional” limited overs team is reviewed before their next series against India.
Finch admitted all the batsmen were on notice when coach Justin Langer sits down with the ODI skipper to nut out plans for January’s three-game series against world No. 2 India. Australia lost their ODI series against South Africa 2-1 with a 40-run game three defeat in Hobart on Sunday, despite a fighting 106 by Shaun Marsh.
The hosts’ top order was again skittled in the run chase, slumping to 3-39 before Marsh and Marcus Stoinis (63) launched a fightback.
Opener Finch said batting line-up changes may need to be made if Australia — ranked sixth in the ODI rankings — were to threaten India.
“If you look at our line-up on paper … it is a fairly one-dimensional side in terms of attack versus workers of the ball and your traditional batsmen, no disrespect to any of them,” Finch said.
“We haven’t got it (batting) right for a while and that does expose you in the middle order at times.
“We’ve got two months until the next one-dayers against India, so that will be a really good opportunity to sit down and start mapping out that process of how JL (Langer) and our leaders think we can be successful in this format.
“We have to adapt our game plan a little bit around the way the side structures up best or we slightly change our personnel to fit a style we think can win.”
Reported in The Daily Telegraph, South African captain Faf du Plessis said his side have worked out Lynn’s weakness against extra pace, saying the Queenslander prefers the speed around the 130km/hr mark.
Australia’s ODI series against India starts in Sydney on January 12.
— with AAP
