They may have escaped with a much-needed win on Tuesday but Michael Clarke warns Australia could have been “in even more trouble” if Sri Lanka bowled the right length.
Marcus Stoinis was the hero for the defending champions in Perth, with the big hitter’s 59-run unbeaten stand helping the Australians to a seven-wicket victory.
It ended up being quite a comfortable win for the hosts, who passed Sri Lanka’s target of 157 with 21 balls left.
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While an important victory in the context of the tournament, Clarke admitted Australia will have to be much better to compete with England on Friday.
Aaron Finch’s spot in the team will continue to come under the microscope after another underwhelming display, with the skipper scoring 31 runs from 42 balls.
And Clarke warned Finch was fortunate to have even lasted that long.
“I thought if the Sri Lankans can get this ball in the right area while it’s new, we could be under the pump and we were,” he said on Sky Sports Radio’s ‘The Big Sports Breakfast’.
“But even still, if that’s England’s bowling attack, if that’s India and Pakistan’s bowling attack that I watched the other night, if that’s South Africa’s bowling attack, Finchy is not lasting 10 seconds because he played and missed and balls went over the stumps.
“Sri Lanka bowled too short. With 160 on the board, if Sri Lanka get their length right and even though we were under the pump without Marcus Stoinis’ amazing innings, I think we could have been in even more trouble.”
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Clarke was simply glad that Australia got the result, hopeful that even if unconvincing, it will be enough to instil some level of self-belief ahead of Friday’s must-win game against England.
“I don’t care how you win, you’ve just got to win and with our recent form I’m happy we got over the line,” he said.
“Hopefully that gives them more confidence. A couple of little tinkers with our approach. We didn’t open the bowling with Mitchell Starc. We went with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. Cummins picked up that early wicket.
“I think we saw some more pace, bounce and movement in that pitch as well and once I saw that I was nervous.”
That was not the only thing that had Clarke nervous though.
“I was nervous without Steve Smith in our starting line-up,” he added.
Clarke argued Smith should be recalled prior to Tuesday’s game against Sri Lanka, pointing to the calming influence Virat Kohli had on India in their thrilling win over Pakistan.
“Virat Kohli the other night was a good example of what class does,” Clarke told Channel Nine.
“I think Steve Smith is a class player. I like the security and safety of knowing you’ve got a world-class player if something doesn’t go to plan in your 11.”
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In the end though, on Tuesday it was a brilliant knock from Stoinis that proved the difference, with Clarke describing the 33-year-old as in a “different class”.
“If we can beat England, I still believe we win this World Cup,” Clarke added.
“But watching last night, deary me. England is going to be a massive game on Friday.”
While Finch’s place in the team continues to be scrutinised, there are also question marks over whether Pat Cummins is the ideal fit for the T20 format after another disappointing showing.
Cummins’ death bowling in particular has been a point of weakness, giving up 20 runs in the final over against Sri Lanka to take his economy rate in death overs in 2022 to 13.01.
It is not a case of Cummins being a poor bowler, as Kerry O’Keeffe pointed out on ‘The Back Page’ on Tuesday before Australia’s game against Sri Lanka.
“They are the best red-ball pace attack in the world,” O’Keeffe said.
But the former Australian leg-spinner said the key difference between Cummins and Australia’s other Test bowlers is that the former may just not be suited to the 20-over game.
“Hazlewood has made himself a T20 bowler,” O’Keeffe added.
“Pat Cummins’ length allows batsmen to get under him and that is why people like Nathan Ellis who should have been in the squad and bowl yorkers and slower stuff, much more variety inside the four overs than Pat who is still an outstanding bowler, but they read him perfectly.”
