‘He’s nowhere’: Australian captain Aaron Finch is running out of chances

After breaking an unwanted record in Cairns, Aaron Finch is running out of chances to prove he belongs in the Australian team.

Australia's Aaron Finch plays a shot in air. Photo by Saeed Khan / AFP

Aaron Finch is running out of chances.

The national white-ball captain, who has averaged 3.71 in his last seven ODI innings, recorded a second-ball duck in Thursday’s ODI against New Zealand at Cazalys Stadium, once again failing to silence his growing horde of critics.

Finch mistimed a lofted off-drive while facing Black Caps seamer Matt Henry in the second over, holing out to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who claimed a regulation catch at mid-off.

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It was the Victorian’s fifth ODI duck of 2022, breaking the all-time Australian record for most scores of zero in a calendar year.

To make matters worse for the Australians, opening partner David Warner departed in almost identical fashion for 5 a couple of overs later.

Finch has registered six single-figure scores in his past seven ODI innings, averaging 13.00 with the bat this year.

His most recent scores in ODIs are 23, 0, 0, 44, 14, 62, 0, 0, 15, 1, 5, 5, 0; horrifically disappointing numbers for a cricketer with 19 centuries in Australian colours.

Finch’s ODI record against New Zealand is pretty dire as well; the 35-year-old averages 14.75 with the bat in 12 ODIs against the Black Caps.

Australian captain Aaron Finch walks back to the pavilion. Photo by Saeed Khan / AFP

“The game is just merciless, the ball was not there to drive, a good length, left him a little bit, but Aaron Finch, you could tell he maybe had the intent to come out and take the bowling on but he‘s picked the wrong ball,” former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe said on SEN.

“It’s just a distraught-looking Aaron Finch, and rightly so.

“Another failure for Finch.

“When Aaron Finch is on, there’s no better player in world cricket hitting the ball down the ground, but on a wicket where the ball is swinging, stopping a little bit in the surface, you really can’t be taking that length on … that’s just a mindset you can see him in at the moment.

“Honestly, he’s nowhere.”

Finch will lead Australia at the T20 World Cup on home soil this summer, but there are growing calls for him to step down ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup in India.

National selectors have thrown their full support behind the talented right-hander, but reputation can only keep you in the starting XI for so long.

ABC broadcaster Corbin Middlemas tweeted: “George Bailey seemingly had the Midas touch so far and has got a lot of credit in his short time as a national selector (and rightfully so), but whatever he does with former teammate Aaron Finch is his biggest challenge yet …”

New Zealand collapsed to 82 all out in the face of scintillating bowling Thursday as Australia won the second one-day international by 113 runs to seal the Chappell-Hadlee series in Cairns.

Australia clinched a thrilling opening match on Tuesday by two wickets with the three-match showdown now destined for a dead rubber on Sunday.

Spinner Adam Zampa weaved his magic for 5-35 while paceman Sean Abbott, in the side for the injured Cameron Green, bowled an amazing 28 consecutive dot balls, conceding just one run from five overs with two wickets.

Mitchell Starc chipped in with 2-12 in a comprehensive thrashing with 17 overs to spare.

“We knew we had got to a total we could defend, we just needed to be ultra disciplined with the ball, and we did that from ball one,” said Australia captain Aaron Finch.

“Once we started to build some pressure, we felt it would be harder to score as the game went on.”

For sale: Aaron Finch's bat

Condition: Good as new#ausvsnz

— Simon Brunsdon (@SimonBrunsdon) September 8, 2022

Unfortunately, it’s gotten into Aaron Finch’s head. Shades of Mark Taylor ‘97. His ODI career just about shot surely #AUSvNZ

— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) September 8, 2022

Lowest ODI batting average for an Australian opener in a calendar year

13.00 – Aaron Finch, 2022

16.68 – David Boon, 1989

23.81 – David Boon, 1990

24.16 – Michael Slater, 1994

24.38 – Graeme Wood, 1982

*Minimum 10 innings

Speaking on Fox Cricket before the match, former Australian batter Mark Waugh warned that time was running out for Finch to keep his spot in the national side.

“It’s now or never,” he said.

“I think he’s got these two games. He’s got to show something in these two games.”

“He would not be in the side if he wasn’t captain.”

Australia is leading the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 1-0 after young all-rounder Cameron Green guided the hosts to an unlikely victory on Tuesday.