Finch aims to stake Test claim with Vics

Australia one-day opener Aaron Finch is eyeing the upcoming domestic season as a golden opportunity to stake his claim on a coveted Test berth.

Finch’s appearances for the Commonwealth Bank Victoria Bushrangers have been patchy in recent seasons due to international commitments, but with the national team touring Bangladesh for two Tests in October, he has the chance to play his first full domestic one-day cup since 2012-13.

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The right-hander will then have the opportunity to play five Sheffield Shield matches in a row between October 27 and December 6 – a streak in the domestic four-day game Finch has not experienced since he played all 10 Shield matches for Victoria in 2010-11.

“Playing games in a row in the one format is important,” Finch said.

“You start to understand your game a bit better and understand what you need to do to score runs consistently.”

Asked if he was setting his sights on an openers’ berth in the Test team, Finch was blunt about his aspirations.

“I’d grab any spot available,” he said.

“(This season) does give me a great opportunity to play a lot of Shield games in a row, and playing the Matador Cup as well is going to be really good.

“It gives us a lot of cricket leading into the Australian Test summer, I suppose after the New Zealand series, so whoever is in good form is going to get picked if the spot is there.”

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Finch played four Shield games in 2012-13 // Getty Images

While the batsman included in the Bangladesh touring party, including Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Bancroft, have the first opportunity to cement the spots vacated by retired pair Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers, Finch said he would focus on ensuring his numbers stacked up should a spot become available.

“If I make enough runs and an opportunity arises, I just want to be in the best form and position to take that role,” he said.

“The guys who are in Bangladesh obviously have got the first crack at it and no doubt they’ll play well.

“I think it’s just a case of blokes being in form at the right time.

“I think we’re seeing with the recent selections that they’re picking guys in form, so it doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, if you’re in form and scoring runs you’re going to get selected.

“What that does is give everyone around the country a lot of confidence that no one is far away from playing Test cricket or one-day cricket for Australia.”

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Asked if Bupa Support Team Head Coach Darren Lehmann had offered him advice on how to earn a Baggy Green debut, Finch said it was simply a case of “making more runs”.

“That’s it. I’ve played well in one-day cricket in the last few years and I don’t see any reason why I can’t translate that into Shield runs.

“They’re picking guys (for the Test squad) out of one-day cricket, because if you’re making runs in international cricket, no matter what form, it means you can play at that level.”

While Finch opens the batting for Australia’s one-day team, he has often batted further down the order in the Sheffield Shield – outside of a run of four matches as opener in 2013-14 – and it is the middle order where he would like to find himself this season.

“Number four would be ideal,” he said.

“Obviously Glenn Maxwell is going away to Bangladesh but out of (Victoria’s) top six, he’s the only one in that squad so it gives us a real opportunity to get settled and play a lot of cricket together.”

Finch endured a torrid run of injuries after Australia’s World Cup win in March, tearing his hamstring while playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, before suffering a bruised lung batting for Yorkshire’s second XI and then breaking his foot in a T20 match for the Vikings in late July.

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But since returning to Australia’s one-day squad for the third ODI against England – following usual opening partner David Warner’s own brush with injury – Finch said he was feeling fit and ready for the upcoming summer.

“The hamstring is unbelievable. The body feels really good at the moment.

“(Making my return in) that third ODI was a bit nerve-wracking and having confidence in my foot was weighing on my mind, but once I got out in the middle I felt really comfortable and relaxed with my technique.”

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Finch produced two fifties in his three ODIs for Australia, a touch of form he believes was the result of his extended period away from the game.

“Being injured gave me a chance to work on my technique and change a couple of things,” he said.

“Being away from the game for a little while gave me a clear mind.”