George Bailey’s future in Australia team uncertain after another failure with the bat

AFTER another failure with the bat, George Bailey is now facing a growing struggle to justify his place in the side, regardless of Michael Clarke’s fitness.

Australia v England: Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series - Final

CONSTERNATION surrounding Australia’s captaincy make-up for the World Cup has been cranked up a notch, with George Bailey now facing a growing struggle to justify his place in the side, regardless of Michael Clarke’s fitness.

Glenn Maxwell’s thrill-a-minute 95 stole the show in the tri-series final, but it was Mitchell Marsh’s well-timed 60 off 68 which could have the biggest ramifications on Australia’s first-choice XI.

At this stage, Bailey is set to lead Australia into battle in the tournament opener against England, and potentially for the rest of the Cup should Clarke suffer an unexpected setback in his recovery and miss his February 21 deadline.

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George Bailey took 16 balls to get off the mark. Picture: AP Photo/Theron Kirkman.

But of course, there’s always Steve Smith waiting in the wings.

Overlooked for official leadership duties when the squad was announced, but a man who has scored three Test hundreds and one ODI century in his first four matches as an Australian captain.

Smith has shown he’s more than up to it.

If Clarke makes his way back for the second match against Bangladesh, as he is on track to do, Bailey is a sitting duck to be dropped anyway.

However, yesterday’s seventh consecutive ODI failure for the summer and Marsh’s brutal knock, could now force selectors to debate whether vice-captain Bailey has dropped even lower in the pecking order for the World Cup.

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Bailey avoids a bouncer but a Stuart broad short ball was his undoing. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images.

The Australian hierarchy has planned their assault from a long way out, and they’ve invested heavily in the reliable and professional Bailey – as both a leader and a staple in the middle-order.

But Clarke’s looming return puts him on shaky ground already, and his form slump couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Yesterday he faced 16 balls to get off the mark and then popped one to bat pad off the 17th to depart for 2.

That made it seven straight innings of 25 or less, with the only 50 of his summer coming way back in November against South Africa when he was dropped numerous times.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann has already stated he knows his best World Cup XI, but if there’s one player who could change his mind at short notice, it’s surely all-rounder Marsh.

The 23-year-old is a game-changing, 10-year star in the making for Australia at Test and ODI level, and only an injury lay-off through the summer may have pushed him back in the queue for the World Cup.

Mitchell Marsh salutes the crowd after notching a half century. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Marsh has shown what he’s capable of on enough occasions now – when he smashed three sixes off Dale Steyn in Zimbabwe, and registered another spectacular 50 against the South Africans earlier this summer in Perth.

Yesterday, he was on track for a maiden 100 until he was run out in a mix-up.

Shane Watson – still one of the premier all-rounders in ODI cricket, is sure to return for the World Cup at No.3, after resting a tight hamstring for the past few matches.

But could there be room for Watson, Faulkner, Maxwell and Marsh in the same side?

It sounds like an overload of all-rounders, but Marsh was endorsed as a more than capable ODI No.3 on last year’s tour of Zimbabwe – and you can never have too many bowling options in one-day cricket.

Bailey appears to be dead man walking, but dropping him before the World Cup opener may still be a stretch.

It would be the definition of rocking the boat.

But Smith excelled as a leader in the Test series, and Marsh is going to be a hard man to hold back.