From Sharjah to Melbourne masterclass: The best of Aaron Finch in ODIs
courtesy
|| ICC ||
Australia's white-ball skipper Aaron Finch announced that he will retire from ODI cricket after the conclusion of the ongoing Chappell–Hadlee series against New Zealand.
Finch's 153* would come in only 143 deliveries, consisting of 11 fours and 6 massive sixes. Finch's knock would ensure that Australia went 2-0 up in the series, which they would eventually end up winning by a clean sweep.
135 v England in Melbourne, 2015
The expectations were sky-high as co-hosts Australia opened up their 2015 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign in front of a roaring Melbourne crowd against their arch-rivals England. A good start was of paramount importance. And Aaron Finch delivered just that!
Finch blazed away to a knock of 135 in 128 deliveries, setting the wheels in motion for what would turn out to be a glorious campaign for Australia. His century was the first one in the 2015 edition of the tournament and consisted of 12 fours and 3 sixes. He was severe against all the England bowlers, as the knock propelled Australia to a massive score of 342/9.
The bowlers would then do the job, bowling England out for 231 and sealing a mammoth 111 runs victory – a perfect start to their tournament!
153 v Sri Lanka at The Oval, 2019
Put in to bat first at The Oval on an overcast morning, Finch negated the conditions with ease, leading from the front. Finch would score the second Cricket World Cup century of his career, the opener was punishing and clinical in equal measure.
The Australian skipper cracked a memorable 153 off only 132 deliveries, hitting 15 fours and 5 sixes. He put together a mammoth stand of 173 with Steve Smith. His efforts allowed Australia to post a total of 334/7 on the board.
The bowlers, led by Mitchell Starc, would blow away Sri Lanka for 247, as the Australians continued to gain momentum during the 2019 campaign.
100 v England at Lord's, 2019
2019 was indeed a golden year for Finch, as evident by the third knock featured on the list from that calendar year. He scored 1141 runs in 23 ODIs in 2019 at an average of 51.86, with four centuries.
This knock came against England at the hallowed turf of Lord's, in what was not the easiest conditions to bat. Finch would be the anchor of the Australian innings, scoring a patient 100 off 115 deliveries, with 11 fours and 2 sixes. He was easily Australia's best batter on the day, with the second highest score being 53 from David Warner.
His knock allowed Australia to notch up a total of 285 on the board, which appeared under-par against a rampaging England batting line-up. But Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff's brilliance with the ball helped Australia defend the total and seal a 64-run victory. But it was all set up by Finch's masterclass with the bat.
148 v Scotland in Edinburgh, 2013
The knock against Scotland in Edinburgh was Aaron Finch at his brutal best. The knock 148 in only 114 deliveries was Finch's maiden ODI ton and a glimpse of what to come in what would turn out to be a glorious and highly successful career.
Finch shared a 246-run opening stand with Shaun Marsh (who also slammed a ton), hitting 16 fours and 7 sixes. The brute force of Finch's knock helped Australia post a massive total of 362/3, eventually winning the match by 200 runs.
But it signalled that Australia had found a brilliant and aggressive opener, who would contribute to many famous victories as a batter and as a leader.
