Cricket World Cup: Brian Lara counsels out-of-form Aaron Finch in art of batting

THERE wasn’t a cricket bat in sight, but Australia will be hoping a meeting between Aaron Finch and Brian Lara in a Sydney bar is the catalyst for a form revival.

Pakistan's paceman Sohail Khan (R) shouts a successful leg before wicket against Australia's Aaron Finch (L) during the 2015 Cricket World Cup quarter-final match between Pakistan and Australia at the Adelaide Oval on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / Saeed KHAN --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE--

THERE wasn’t a cricket bat in sight, but Australia will be hoping a meeting between Aaron Finch and batting legend Brian Lara in a Sydney bar is the catalyst for a World Cup revival.

In the midst of the most worrying form slump of his international career, Finch sought out a trusted mentor in Lara for a few beers to thrash out batting concerns the old fashioned way.

The embattled star has worked overtime in the nets this week with the likes of Darren Lehmann, Michael Di Venuto and close friend Andrew McDonald ahead of Thursday’s semi-final against India at the SCG.

Aaron Finch calls for a referral against Pakistan that was always doomed to failure.

But there is no one better credentialed than Lara to speak about piling on the runs when it matters most.

Feeling the writing was on the wall two weeks ago before the game against Sri Lanka, Finch called his boyhood idol to a watering hole.

It wasn’t so long ago he used to wake up in the middle of the night to watch Lara bat in World Cups on television.

Now as a 28-year-old he’s still up late with Lara, only this time to drink.

In Finch’s own words; “I’m not someone who over-analyses (my batting) a helluva lot.”

Not unlike the chilled out Lara.

Aaron Finch has been out of touch since his first-up century against England.

The pair talked batting for hours, surely with a subtle reminder that Finch has scored more ODI hundreds (five) since last summer than any other Australian batsman.

With his team desperate for their openers to set a platform against India - it’s hoped an ego boost from the West Indian great will help return that magic spark.

After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Finch has drawn on Lara’s wisdom.

The 45-year-old record run-scorer has become a trusted confidante for the Victorian over the past eight months since they shared a big partnership for an MCC XI at Lord’s last year.

With the Lord’s crowd there to see the likes of Tendulkar, Lara, Dravid and Warne, Finch was feeling guilty for smashing his way to within reach of a century, and even considered throwing his wicket away to let the giants take centre stage.

But Lara’s bloody-minded advice that day spurred Finch on to make an unbeaten 181 and more importantly, inspired him to strive to a new level with his ODI career.

Aaron Finch celebrates his century at Lord’s last year with Sachin Tendulkar.

“I remember when I was in the 90s and I was getting a bit itchy,” said Finch at the time.

“(Lara) said to me, ‘Mate, make sure you get a hundred, it’ll be a special thing to get it at Lord’s.

“And when you do get it, make sure no-one gets you out today, because that’s what batting is; people earn the right to get you out, so make sure they don’t do that.

“Make sure these guys know that they weren’t good enough to get you out.”

Finch’s tournament average has slumped to just 33 – the lowest of any Australian top-order batsman - this despite the fact he scored a career-best hundred in the Cup opener against England back on Valentine’s Day.

He’s gone 14, 4, 24, 20, 2.

Can West Indies great Brian Lara make a difference to Aaron Finch?

“It’s nothing I’m too concerned about,” said Finch.

“I just want to refresh a couple of points that go back to the basics of my technique and my batting and that’s something I fall back on when I’m not getting a hell of a lot of runs.

“It’s going to be huge, you can’t put it any other way.

“We’ve played some great cricket for a couple of years and there’s no reason why we’re not going to go into this game confident, and we’ve got every reason to be.”

Ditto for Finch.