James Faulkner is Australian cricket’s twilight zone man

THE ICC has ranked James Faulkner one of the 11 best one-day cricketers in the world right now. But Australian selectors don’t appear to agree.

Australian Batsman james Faulkner bats against South Africa during the T20 match played at the Adelaide Oval on November 5, 2014. AFP PHOTO / DAVID MARIUZ IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

THE ICC has ranked James Faulkner one of the 11 best one-day cricketers in the world right now.

But as it stands, Australian selectors don’t consider the whole-hearted allrounder to be in their best squad just 100 days out from the World Cup.

Faulkner was the star of last summer’s 50-over feast against England, entering the history books with his Bevan-esque match-winning knock of 69 not out at the Gabba.

However despite being recognised in the ICC ODI team of the year, the 24-year-old finds himself a surprising omission from the upcoming five-match series against South Africa starting next week in Perth.

Faulkner is the twilight zone man of Australian cricket at the moment, on the fringe of both the Test and one-day teams - but unable to get a game.

It’s not an easy place to be.

His ODI axeing after playing the three 50-over matches in Pakistan means he can play a Sheffield Shield game for Tasmania starting on November 16 in a last-ditch bid to be included in the first Test team to face India on Dember 4.

But Faulkner pulled no punches on where he’d rather be with a home-soil World Cup fast approaching.

“I’d rather be playing an ODI, I’m not going to lie to you,” said Faulkner bluntly on Thursday.

“But the selectors obviously haven’t picked me, so I’ve gone back to Shield cricket.”

Asked where he thought he sat in World Cup calculations, Faulkner admitted he’s clueless – resolving to just battle away, even if the ball is red and not white.

“I have no idea,” he said.

“At the moment I’ll control what I can control and that’s every opportunity I get with the bat and ball, grabbing it with both hands.

“I think I’ve done pretty well playing cricket for Australia. I’ve just got to get better as a player – on and off the ground.”

Faulkner and George Bailey were the only Australians picked in the ICC ODI team of the year, however the left-arm allrounder admits he has struggled to recover from undergoing knee surgery earlier this year.

However, Faulkner says he’s now fully fit and is looking to add to the solid 41 not out he made in the opening Twenty20 in Adelaide, with another strong performance in the second international against South Africa at the MCG on Friday night.

“It’s been a long road since I had surgery,” said Faulkner who played his one and only Test in England last year and has Mitchell Marsh and Shane Watson ahead of him.

“The last few games I’ve started to get a lot of confidence.”

Glenn Maxwell has been rushed back into Australia’s Twenty20 squad just three days after playing a Test match in the UAE.

David Warner won’t take part in the remaining matches in Melbourne and Sydney on Sunday, but Maxwell will put fatigue aside and take to the MCG just two days after returning home.

Maxwell’s drawcard ability is hoped to boost crowds and performance following a flat opening to the series by Australia in Adelaide.

Australia struggled to find the boundary with the bat on Wednesday and Maxwell is being looked to as the antidote.

“He can hit the ball wherever he wants,” said Faulkner.

“I’m sure he’ll slot in and do very well tomorrow night.

“It’s definitely a boost to have Maxi in. He’s a World Class T20 player.”

Meanwhile, fast bowler Ryan Harris continued his encouraging comeback from a knee operation, making a half-century in Queensland’s Futures League loss to NSW.

Physically Harris pulled through well with the ball and is on track to play the Bulls’ next Sheffield Shield game.

After their woes in the UAE Australia will be desperate to have him back in the attack to face India, but no risks will be taken with Harris with a World Cup and Ashes next year on the agenda.

Originally published as James Faulkner is Australian cricket’s twilight zone man