Australia have a unique blend among their playing group that make them a World Cup-winning team, man-of-the-match opener Aaron Finch said after Saturday's thumping win over England.
Australia have a unique blend among their playing group that make them a World Cup-winning team, man-of-the-match opener Aaron Finch said after Saturday's thumping win over England.
Finch, playing in front of his home crowd which swelled to almost 85,000 people, smashed 135 after being dropped on nought as Australia piled up 342 for nine in their 50 overs and bowled England out for 231 with 49 balls to spare. The Australians looked impressive in all departments and outplayed England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to underline their claims for a fifth World Cup title.
"When you look down at our team that's a real strength of ours that we've got guys who can play all different types of roles," Finch said. "You got Dave Warner at the top who can be a manipulator of the ball or a brute force. "Then you've got guys in the middle -- George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Marsh, Brad Haddin -- they can all play so many different roles. "And that's such a pleasing thing in the side. In any circumstances you've got confidence in every guy that they can play in every scenario.
"To have that is pretty unique in a team I think. And I think that's what makes us a quality team at the moment. "We have played some really good cricket and that's why we're able to have confidence in our ability. "I think when you have a look at everyone's records, everyone's contributed really well over the past three or four weeks. The belief in each other is a huge thing." Australia were dazzling in the field with several stunning catches and Finch said that came from hard work on the training field.
"If you're bowling well, and you're getting supported in the field, you're saving so may runs," he said. "Everyone trains so hard on their fielding. I think the big thing for us is we're not worried about making mistakes. Finch paid tribute to Steve Smith's mid-air screamer to dismiss Jos Buttler for 10 to leave England at 92 for six.
"It was a phenomenal catch. Jos hit that really hard. It was right out of the screws and the balance, timing of everything was unbelievable," he said. Finch said he was proud of his sixth ODI century on such a big stage at the World Cup. "To get 100 in front of my family and friends and at my home ground, the home of cricket, was pretty special and something that will stay with me for a long time," he said.
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