Australia's Finch relishing return to MCG for #CWC15 final

Joy Chakravarty 16:54 27/03/2015
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  • Aaron Finch's 118-ball 81 against India helped Australia progress to the Cricket World Cup 2015 final.

    MELBOURNE, Australia — The whole of Australian team is excited about their chances of winning a fourth Cricket World Cup, but for local hero Aaron Finch it is an opportunity to start and end the tournament with centuries at the ground on which he grew up playing cricket.

    After scoring a magnificent 135 against England on the opening day of the tournament, Finch added just 64 runs in his five games and was highlighted as the one man in the team struggling for form by the media, as well as the former Australian great Ricky Ponting.

    But the 28-year-old, whose highest score was 24 against Sri Lanka in the five interim matches, signaled a return to form with an extremely important knock of 81 against India in the semi-finals.

    He looked to be struggling at times, but that uncharacteristic 116-ball total helped put a brilliant 182-run partnership for the second wicket with Steven Smith, which formed the foundation of Australia’s massive 95-run win.

    Despite the lean spell, Finch said he never feared for his place in the side.

    “It wasn’t my best innings, I had to grind a little bit but they bowled well early and then I felt like I hit a lot of fielders in that middle part,” he said while speaking to reporters at Melbourne airport yesterday.

    “To get through that and contribute to big a partnership was nice. I was fortunate to have Steve Smith at the other end. He sort of kept that partnership flowing while I was trying to grind it out and get down the other end.

    “I didn’t feel like I was hitting the ball badly. I felt like I was hitting it nicely in the nets for the last couple of weeks so I wasn’t overly worried about my form.

    “It was just a case of getting in and getting through the initial new ball.”

    Captain Michael Clarke is convinced of something big from Finch come Sunday’s final against New Zealand.

    After the match against India, he said: “Don’t be surprised if he walks out on Sunday and makes an unbelievable hundred. I think that innings (against India) will do him a world of good.

    “When he walked off, I think he was a little bit disappointed with the way he batted, or with the way it felt, but I think he did a fantastic job. I think that time in the middle will allow him on Sunday to walk out and play with freedom. Don’t be surprised if he makes a big hundred.”

    At the MCG, Finch has a terrific record. He averages 65.16 in six innings at the ground, making two hundreds and a fifty in tallying 391 runs.

    “It’s a place I love playing,” Finch said. “I’ve had a fair bit of success there with both Australia and Victoria. “It’s a pretty special place. When it is packed out, 100,000 people, it’s going to be amazing. Not a better place to be.

    “It’s also a place I love batting. The wicket’s always good there, fast outfield and a big ground. I think that plays into our hands a lot.”

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