The spectacular clean hitting of Marcus Stoinis did much more than clinch a vital victory over Sri Lanka. It gave Australia hope that a successful defence of their Twenty20 World Cup title was within grasp.
More immediately, the win in Perth has revitalised the team’s belief heading into Friday night’s blockbuster against England at the MCG, which is shaping as one of the matches of the tournament.
“It’s always a great event,” said captain Aaron Finch. “Any format, anywhere in the world. It’s pretty special.”
Win and Australia take another giant step towards the semi-finals, with matches against Ireland and Afghanistan to finish the group stage. Lose and Australia’s first World Cup title, claimed in Dubai last year, will be relinquished without the chance of defending it in the finals.
“Our backs are still against the wall,” Stoinis said after the game. “It’s going to be a really important game for us. I don’t know what the equations are going to be later on through the tournament. There’s been a bit of rain around Australia as well. We’ll look to take that game on and we’ll go from there.”
If Stoinis takes Friday night’s game on like he did against Sri Lanka anything is possible. He was amazing, striking 59 from just 18 balls with such brutal beauty that the ball kept sailing into the stands of Perth Stadium, one of the biggest grounds in the country.
Marcus Stoinis has become a crucial part of the Australian side since his recall.Credit:Getty
“It was a pretty special innings,” Finch said of Stoinis. “To come out with that intent was the main thing. When you walk out to bat and have that intent at the crease, that’s half the battle in T20 cricket.”
It’s remarkable to think that Stoinis was cast adrift by Australia for well over a year after a disappointing 2019 50-over World Cup.
Such is his confidence, Stoinis never doubted he would get back into the national side.
“I just didn’t think it would take so long,” he said after being recalled.
He is now a vital member of the side, as he proved in last year’s World Cup triumph with two match-winning innings in tight games.
That’s not only with his batting but also his bowling, which was a concern heading into the tournament because of a side strain which threatened to unsettle the balance of the team.
The contrast of Stoinis batting with the battling Finch could not have been greater. Stoinis middled just about everything during his short stay. Finch middled almost nothing, as he readily admitted after struggling to through Australia’s innings for 31 not out in 42 balls.
“I’m very happy,” Finch said of the win, before turning the blowtorch on himself.
“Obviously my innings was unusual, it was poor, I just couldn’t hit the ball.
Aaron Finch struggled to connect bat and ball in Perth on Tuesday.Credit:Getty
“It would have been nice if I had kicked on earlier and made that chase a bit easier, but all in all it (the win) was quite clinical with the ball as well.
“They bowled a hard length, it was tough. It’s such a big ground you feel as though it’s hard to just stand and deliver, especially with a bit of extra bounce and when the ball’s seaming slightly you feel it’s just not quite as easy to hit the middle of the bat, but that’s no excuse for the way I played, but it was nice to get the two points.”
It was Finch’s third-highest score in 17 international white-ball innings this year, bettered only by 76 in a practice match against India and 58 batting at No.4 against the West Indies.
If Australia can keep winning in this tournament and Finch can find some sort of continuity he will keep the wolves from the door. Otherwise, the howling about the captain will only grow louder.
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