Australia A captain Aaron Finch admits he felt the heat as he tried to take his brilliant domestic form onto the international stage.

The fast-scoring batsman averaged just 15 in his debut one-day international season with a highest score of 38 after clocking superb domestic one-day and Big Bash League figures.

Finch, who early this week earned a Cricket Australia contract, has averaged 99.4 for Victoria and 66.4 for the Melbourne Renegades this summer.

“Probably a little bit of pressure got to me a bit,” he told reporters at Bellerive, where Australia A will begin a five-match one-day series against the touring England Lions on Saturday.

“It is tough to say (but) every time you represent Australia, there is a lot more scrutiny.

” … I suppose it is attention to detail – probably I’ve got to go back and reassess.

“My technique is in good order. I feel like I was hitting the ball nicely. It is just that mental thing I have to work on.”

The 26-year-old said the series against the Lions, which comes in an Ashes year, would be crucial to the international futures of plenty of players.

“You don’t have to be Einstein to work out there’s a Champions Trophy coming up and five one-dayers against India and England,” he said.

“Whoever stands up and takes the opportunities is going to be around the team for a long time.

“If someone makes their mark like Adam Voges did, coming back into the side after a couple years out and gets a hundred, you are well on your way to cementing your spot.”

Tasmanian Alex Doolan has been placed on standby for Callum Ferguson, who has a groin strain, for match one at Bellerive.

The sides play two more games in Hobart, on Monday and Friday, before heading to the SCG for games on February 25 and March 1.

The Lions have had a less-than-ideal start to their tour, losing all three warm-up games.