Rejuvenated Sri Lanka to test Australia’s T20 plans
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Sean Abbott has been added to Australia’s T20 squad and is in line for his first international cap in five years after fellow seamer Andrew Tye was sidelined by injury.
Tye was on Saturday ruled out of the three-match Gillette T20 Series against Sri Lanka after sustaining an elbow injury during a fielding drill at Adelaide Oval on Friday afternoon.
Tye will consult a specialist in Sydney to determine the extent of the damage and a timeline for his return to playing, but he won’t take part in the Sri Lanka series that begins at Adelaide Oval today.
Cricket Australia confirmed that 27-year-old Abbott will join the men’s squad when they assemble in Brisbane on Monday, where the second match of the Sri Lanka campaign begins two days later.
Tye will remain with the squad for tomorrow’s game in Adelaide before having his injury assessed by specialists.
Australia T20 captain Aaron Finch conceded that Tye’s skills-set and his vast experience in T20 cricket – particularly bowling during the pressure-cooker ‘death overs’ – will be difficult to replace.
“It was one of the first handful of throws he did in a high intensity drill (on Friday), which required 100 per cent throwing,” Finch said.
“He was just a little bit off balance and I think it was a bit of side-arm, slingy type throw and he just felt a bit of a pop in there.
“It’s unfortunate for AJ that he probably won’t take any part in the series, but he’ll see the specialist in Sydney in the next couple of days to get their thoughts.
Finch had spent much of the preceding week concerned about his own fitness, as the side strain he sustained in the summer’s opening Sheffield Shield match showed little improvement.
But since arriving in Adelaide last Wednesday, Finch’s injury has steadily improved and after nursing himself through Friday’s fielding drills he went full throttle at training today and declared himself fit to play tomorrow afternoon.
Provided he suffers no adverse effects from the increased workload between now and Sunday’s 2pm starting time.
“I feel confident to go,” Finch said, adding the team had not engaged in any meaningful discussions as to who might take on the captaincy had he been ruled out.
“I felt good, batting in particular.
Neither Australia nor Sri Lanka – who conducted their sole training session at Adelaide Oval this afternoon – have settled on a starting line-up for the series opener.
And Finch noted that the absence of Glenn Maxwell from today’s nets session was to allow the allrounder to “freshen up” after a heavy schedule over recent months, rather than any indicator of Australia’s final XI.
However, the other specialist batters in Australia’s now 13-man squad engaged in lengthy hit-outs today, most notably former leaders Steve Smith and David Warner.
True to type, Smith faced throw-downs from Langer for almost an hour while Warner finished his session by occasionally facing up right-handed against a left-arm orthodox net bowler.
Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga understands the potential threat posed by Australia’s most experienced batting pair, even though both have endured a lengthy break from T20 international cricket.
Malinga has waged many a battle against Smith during his vast experience with Sri Lanka, in the KFC Big Bash League and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
He claimed his team had not formulated specific plans to quell Smith, who tormented bowlers upon his return to international cricket in this ICC World Cup and the Ashes Test series that followed.
Malinga also pointed to Warner’s imposing record in the 20-over format and cautioned that his recent lean trot in Test cricket counted for little when the T20 internationals get underway tomorrow.
“In the IPL, he was the highest run getter in that tournament,” Malinga said, citing Warner’s return from suspension in this year’s IPL.
“We know how good is the T20 format for him.
“And yes, in the last couple of months he didn’t get much runs, but still we know he damaging he can be in any situation.
“That’s why … to bowl one good ball to him is the challenge for all the bowlers we’ve got here.”
Finch is similarly wary of Sri Lanka’s top-order batting which, despite featuring a number of players who have not previously played at international level in Australia, fired during the team’s recent 3-0 T20 series win in Pakistan.
They include 28-year-old Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Danushka Gunathilaka (also 28) and Oshada Fernando (27), as well as experienced trio Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Perera.
-Agencies