Cricket World Cup 2023: Marcus Stoinis adds to Australian selection conundrum with star showing

Marcus Stoinis looked like Australia’s most expendable star – until he became their matchwinner. Daniel Cherny looks at the selection battles forming for the resurgent World Cup powerhouse.

What value does Marcus Stoinis add to this Australian one-day side?

It was a question being asked more and more over the past couple of weeks, and with fair cause.

If you have an all-rounder who isn’t bowling much or making many runs, what’s he bringing to the table?

The issue was coming to a head too, pun intended. Travis Head’s imminent return meant someone was going to have to make way.

Theoretically, it would be Marnus Labuschagne, the last man added to the squad, but Labuschagne was Australia’s leading runscorer through three matches at this tournament, albeit at a sleepy strike rate.

Marnus Labuschagne had been Australia’s leading runscorer through three matches – but shapes as the man most likely to make way for Travis Head. Picture: AFP

With Glenn Maxwell being treated as a frontline bowler, there were precious few overs on offer for Stoinis, and Head’s arrival would likely mean even fewer.

Having missed Australia’s first match against India through injury, he had identical figures in the games against South Africa and Sri Lanka: 0-11 from two overs.

If that’s all you are sending down, you’d want to be adding something with the bat too. Out for five to a caught behind decision for which umpire Richard Kettleborough subsequently apologised against the Proteas, he poleaxed 20 from 10 balls to seal the deal against Sri Lanka.

But coming in with a platform already established against Pakistan on Friday, he couldn’t ramp home Australia’s advantage.

Marcus Stoinis played a handy knock against Pakistan – but not a game-changer. Picture: Getty

In isolation his 21 from 24 balls was serviceable – better than any of his teammates from first drop down – but it continued a stretch dating back to the start of the 2019 World Cup in which he averages just 17.25 with the bat in ODIs, without a half-century.

He was long overdue.

Twenty-one overs into Pakistan’s run chase on Friday night at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and a crunch game was starting to get into dangerous territory for Australia.

Mitchell Starc had been wayward, Sean Abbott and Pat Cummins had both spilt catches, and what should have been an iron grip established after David Warner and Mitch Marsh’s 259-run opening stand was slipping.

None of Australia’s five frontline bowlers had broken through. So Cummins tossed the ball to his sixth: Stoinis. In the context of the match, tournament and perhaps the West Australian’s ODI career, it was now or never.

Marcus Stoinis was handed a chance with the ball – and delivered in a potentially career-defining moment. Picture: Getty

Commentating on BBC radio, former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite noted how Stoinis was deceptively pacy, and that he liked the move, tipping that it could quickly bring a wicket.

It was prescient. Stoinis arched his back and pounded a short ball at Abdullah Shafique. Charging at the bouncer, Shafique couldn’t handle the steeple, skying one to Maxwell that even this Australian team wouldn’t drop.

Glistening with sweat, Stoinis exploded exultantly. He was back.

Two overs later it was Imam-ul-Haq who fell, holing out trying to make space through the off-side, caught well in the deep by Starc. It was two wickets for Stoinis, who suddenly was more than holding his own.

With two wickets, Stoinis turned the match back in Australia’s favour. Picture: AFP

Pakistan did not fold, even after Cummins redeemed himself by taking a sharp chance to remove Babar Azam at mid-wicket off Adam Zampa. Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakheel were looking to take the game deep. Cummins drew Shakheel into a miscued pull.

The man tracking back to take it though was Stoinis, and his catching form was not great. He’d put down a sitter against the Proteas and spilt another one while warming up during the innings break on Friday evening.

This time though he was up to the task. On a night in which Australia had to play the long game, Stoinis had delivered the most important interventions.

Turns out he still adds quite a bit.