Sweet relief as Aaron Finch breaks run drought

Aaron Finch wastes no time repaying selector George Bailey’s faith with brutal T20 knock against New Zealand.

Australia captain Aaron Finch during game three of the T20 series against New Zealand at Sky Stadium in Wellington. Picture: Getty Images

Aaron Finch wasted no time repaying selector George Bailey’s faith, reminding the world why he is certain to lead Australia’s quest to win its first Twenty20 crown in India this year.

Finch scored 69 runs from 44 balls to break his run drought and lead Australia to a 64-run win over New Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday night.

But there was one moment of panic for Finch when he was struck on the pads first ball, with New Zealand players so confident in Tim Southee’s appeal that they were laughing.

Umpire Chris Gaffney’s finger stayed down and while DRS confirmed the ball was hitting the stumps, Finch was spared a golden duck thanks to umpire’s call.

The Marylebone Cricket Club’s world committee debated removing umpire’s call for 90 minutes at last week’s meeting – but Finch was due some luck, and he rode it for the next 15 overs as his brutal form in the nets finally translated to runs in the middle.

The destructive right-hander switched to become a leftie as he swatted Ish Sodhi over the fence to bring up a half-century which drained all the pressure that had been piling up.

It was a subdued celebration, and it almost looked as though Finch was fighting back a smile as big that six.

Bailey told News Corp that Finch’s international record had him safe for the World Cup, but the doubters persisted – until last night.

Finch’s 69 will prove to be a defining knock, just as his 93 in India was two years ago leading into the 50-over World Cup.

Last week batting partner David Warner said Finch’s path out of the rough was through straight hitting and in Wellington that is exactly what transpired.

Finch thumped Jimmy Neesham over his head for six and then began commentating to himself after each ball.

“That’s a bad shot,” “Ohhh, come on,” and “Ohh, you bastard,” were some of Finch’s offerings after mistiming deliveries or finding fielders.

Shane Warne said Finch finding his voice showed he had also found confidence, and the boundaries followed.

The Victorian creamed Kyle Jamieson for back-to-back fours and when nemesis Trent Boult returned Finch cut his first ball to the boundary, hooked a sharp bouncer to the rope and then struck for a third time in a pivotal over.

Finch – who owns two of the biggest T20 international scores in history (172 and 156) – then handed over to former housemate Glenn Maxwell, who morphed into a mode no other batsman possesses.

Maxwell made just five runs off his first nine balls and then 65 off his next 20 (strike-rate of 325).

That golden run included 28 off a Neesham over – all scored in boundaries – as Maxwell stood and delivered in what was a chair-shattering knock, as one six crushed a hole in one of the vacant yellow seats.

“It was pretty ugly at the start,” Maxwell said.

“I wasn’t batting very well right-handed, so I thought I’d try left-handed.”

Warne waited until Riley Meredith’s international career was one ball old to call for his elevation into the Test attack, replacing Mitchell Starc.

Meredith – who replaced Daniel Sams in the team – rewarded Warne’s unwavering faith by closing his debut over with his first wicket.

The Hobart speed demon then landed the biggest of blows, trapping captain Kane Williamson plumb in front in a powerplay the Kiwis otherwise owned.

Warne went all-in on Meredith after his second over. “Next time I’ll wear ‘I love Riley Meredith’ (on a T-shirt),” he said on Fox Cricket. “Get him in all Australian teams.”

Ashton Agar’s first six overs this series yielded 0-62.

But his next seven balls brought four wickets, and the end to New Zealand’s hopes of sealing the series with two games to spare.

Agar finished with 6-30 – the best figures ever recorded by an Australian.

Game 4 of the five-game series is on Friday.

Herald Sun