Faulkner's focus on keeping it 'simple'

Australia will be faced with a simple equation in Barbados on Wednesday morning (AEST) and James Faulkner is also taking a simple approach into his first do-or-die one-day match since the 2015 World Cup final.

The Tasmanian allrounder took little time in establishing himself as a key player in Australia's ODI side, playing 44 of 50 matches from his debut in February 2013 until his man-of-the-match performance in the World Cup decider against New Zealand last year.

But the 26-year-old has played just nine of Australia's 19 ODIs since that game at the MCG 15 months ago, the combination of a drink-driving misdemeanour in England last year, injury and selection keeping him on the sidelines.

He was left out of the first two matches of this tri-series in the Caribbean as Australia suitably opted for a spin-heavy attack at Guyana's Providence Stadium.

But having returned to the side in St Kitts last week, where he was one of Australia's most economical bowlers at the tiny Warner Park, Faulkner is hoping to resume a more permanent place in the XI.

"Anytime you miss cricket, it definitely hurts," he said ahead of Australia's sudden-death clash against the West Indies at Kensington Oval.

"I'd be lying if I said (it didn't).

"I want to play in all conditions and do whatever I can to play as many games for my country as I can.

"I obviously had a conversation with the selector. I just want to play in every single condition. I think I do well on slow wickets and I think I do well on fast wickets.

"A lot of it depends on the dynamic of the team and the make-up of the team.

"I can control what I can control. When I get a bowl, do as well as I can for the group (and) when I get a bat, do as well as I can. It's pretty simple.

"People can write and say whatever they want, but your career stats are your career stats and your performances right now count for everything." 

Faulkner's career stats indicate he'll be a player to watch against the Windies on Wednesday, with Australia needing to avoid defeat to secure a spot in the series decider on June 27.

The right-hander boasts an impressive career batting average of just a touch under 40 and a strike-rate of more than 100, numbers that more than justify his tag as The Finisher.

Not that's he's had much of an opportunity to show his ability with the blade on this tour so far, having faced a total of just four deliveries in the series.

"I haven't really had a bat so I can't really say anything about that," Faulkner said just minutes after he'd launched some huge hits during an extended net session with batting coach Greg Blewett at Kensington Oval.

"I'm just trying to do as well as I can with the ball when given the opportunity. I've bowled seven overs and six overs (in two matches), that's just the way the games have played out so far.

"It's been a pretty stagnated series so far. We haven't played as well as we would have liked and the weather has played a role as well.

"It's pretty clear what we have to do and that's win two games of cricket to win a series.

"If we don't win tomorrow we obviously don't deserve to be in the final. That's the way I look at it and I'm sure most of the boys look at it the same way."

The great unknown heading into the clash with the Windies is the Barbados weather, which washed out all but one over of Australia's match against South Africa on Monday.

The forecast is much more positive for Wednesday, even though more rain is predicted, but Faulkner says the Aussies have to prepare for a full match.

"You come here expecting 100 overs," he said. "Get a good sleep tonight, wake up, open the curtains and have a bit of a look.

"There'll be a bit of talk but as soon as we turn up to the ground, we're focused for 100 overs and we can't control the rest."