'The Finisher' eyes a restart

James Faulkner is intent on shifting up Australia's ODI batting order as he looks to rediscover his reputation as one of limited-overs cricket's most damaging impact players.

Faulkner has played second fiddle to fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh in the 50-over format in recent times, with the West Australian occupying a regular place at No.6 in the order ahead of wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.

Marsh, who broke through for a maiden ODI hundred against India at the SCG in January, has spent 22 of his 32 innings at No.6, with the lowest position he's occupied being No.8 – for one match in Southampton last year, when he blasted an unbeaten 40.

Faulkner meanwhile, has been tagged – or perhaps burdened – with the label 'The Finisher', and has consequently spent 27 of his 40 ODI innings at No.8, and another seven at No.7.

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"I'd be lying if I said I don't want to get back up the order like I used to," Faulkner said in the lead-up to Australia's next match in the Caribbean Tri-series, against South Africa in Barbados on Sunday (3am Monday AEST).

"I'd like to get back up the order and score some runs in one-day cricket.

"I'm not too sure where I sit at the moment with that but I can only control what I can control and that's score as many runs and take as many wickets as I can and contribute at certain times I need to step up."

Faulkner's last ODI half-century came in the tri-series final against England in Perth in the summer of 2014-15 as Australia prepared for the World Cup.

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That was an even 50 not out, registered from just 24 balls as he took his side from a wobbly 6-217 to what was ultimately a match-winning 8-278 in the final seven overs.

It typified the kind of innings for which the Tasmanian has earned his standing as a world-class limited-overs closer.

Since, the opportunities in a largely winning team have been limited; in 11 innings, he's scored 108 runs at an average of 18, with five not outs.

By way of comparison, Marsh has batted 19 times, and tallied 493 runs at 35.21 – also with five not outs.

Faulkner has been the man to make way in the Caribbean on turning wickets, when selectors have opted for spin pair Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon.

He has played Australia's two most recent matches, in St Kitts, and has had little to do with the bat, contributing 1no and 4no.

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"It’s not the typical sort of one-day cricket being played at moment, (but) we just have to find a way – the wickets (have) spun a lot and are a bit slow," he said of the tri-series to date.

"Now in Barbados we expect a better deck but we need to straighten ourselves out and play better for these remaining games and look at getting ourselves into the final.

"Destiny is in our own hands. We haven't started as well as we like but everyone knows how these triangle series work, we just have to play the right cricket at the right time.

"We heard this is probably one of the better wickets, so I'm expecting a higher score. The wicket looks in good nick, we'll see how it is in four days, we're all itching for a 300-plus score."