Skipper George Bailey admits Glenn Maxwell’s shot selection could have been better in Australia’s World Twenty20 loss to Pakistan but Bailey accepts some of the blame for a lack of communication to his players.
No.6 batsman Maxwell’s position in the side is under threat for Friday’s night’s semi-final against West Indies following the loose off-drive which led to his dismissal for four against Pakistan.
Australia were chasing 150 to beat Pakistan on Tuesday night but a total of 112 was going to be enough to allow them to qualify for the semi-finals after two earlier wins in the Super Eights stage.
Maxwell fell at 5-65 to leave Australia in a precarious position but their final total of 7-117 was enough to keep them going in the tournament.
Australia coach and co-selector Mickey Arthur has said off-spinning allrounder David Hussey is being considered for a recall at the expense of Victoria teammate Maxwell.
Maxwell has taken only one wicket in the tournament with his offspinners and dropped a vital catch at slip against Pakistan.
“I saw Mickey had weighed up those two (players) and that’s probably the only one to be weighed up. But the structure doesn’t change in terms of a like-for-like,” Bailey said on Thursday.
“In the whole tournament, the only change we’ve made has been a tactical one to introduce more spin (Xavier Doherty for medium-pacer Dan Christian).
“So we’ve stuck with it and that’s something that’s pretty important to me.”
Co-selector Bailey praised Maxwell’s match-winning abilities.
“If you want structure and sensible batting and what-not, there’s five guys who have played more T20 cricket than he has who need to provide that,” Bailey said.
“What we want from him is an ability to turn the game.
“Make what you will of his shot the other night, I maintain that it was just poor communication on our behalf.
“Most people were thinking 112 but we hadn’t communicated that.
“That’s a fault on Mickey’s and my behalf rather than his.”
Bailey felt overall his batsmen were a little tentative against Pakistan’s spinners.
“I’d rather see us throw caution to the wind. If we get knocked over, we get knocked over,” he said.
Australia’s loss to Pakistan was their only defeat in five matches in the tournament which has included a 17-run win over West Indies in a rain-affected group match on September 22.
Australia’s bowlers let the Windies get away to a total of 8-191 including half-centuries from Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels.
“Their batting is no doubt their strength,” Bailey said.
“If you can knock him (Gayle) over early it really does put pressure on the rest of their batsmen to step up.”
