Signs suggest an emerging batting depth: Finch

Aaron Finch wants to return Australian cricket to the halcyon days of the late-1990s and early 2000s – and he's optimistic they’re on track to get there.

With the one-day side in the midst of their World Cup title defence, Australia A have begun their own campaign on British soil with a pair of wins built on the back of devastating Matthew Wade centuries.

The 50-over 'A' squad features a handful of players unfortunate to miss out on World Cup selection, including Wade, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood and Ashton Turner, while others, like Travis Head, Ashton Agar and James Pattinson, have considerable international experience.

Test captain Tim Paine will lead the side on the four-day leg of the tour, with Head captaining the one-dayers.

Most Australian cricket fans who lived through the '90s and '00s tend to harbour more nostalgia than a Joy Division die-hard, which Finch unexpectedly fed into on the eve of his side’s World Cup clash with England at Lord’s.

While few would argue the depth that existed then has suddenly rematerialised, Finch believes there's tentative indications a new era is emerging.

"I think it's a sign of the strength that we are building over the last couple of years," Finch said asked about the A team's early wins.

"The depth of Australian cricket is starting to get back to what people call the heyday, the glory years of the early 2000s and times like that when the competition underneath the men's and women's international team was so fiercely competitive.

"It's starting to get back to that.

"Guys are getting an opportunity, whenever it might be, they are putting their hand up and being counted and making sure they are being in the forefront of selectors' minds when selection comes up."

Wade, the former Australia keeper across all formats whose last international appearance was nearly two years ago, has dazzled since arriving in the United Kingdom, cracking 117 off just 67 before going even bigger with a 71-ball 155.

Second-string Northamptonshire and Derbyshire sides have hardly provided world-class competition, but the tour is set to climax with an intriguing Australia A v Australia four-day game that will have a major bearing on Ashes selection.

There is also a first-class match against the England Lions, their equivalent of an 'A' team, that precedes it in Canterbury.

Those games will provide selectors with a clearer picture of the depth they have to pick from in red-ball cricket after narrowing down their 50-over squad to 15 for the World Cup proved so difficult.

The Australian 'heyday' Finch referred to saw the likes of Jamie Siddons, Martin Love, Jamie Cox, Darren Berry, Michael Di Venuto, Brad Hodge and Stuart Law constantly overlooked despite outstanding domestic records.

Even players who went on to have successful international careers like Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Martin Love, Andy Bichel and Stuart MacGill spent significant time on the outer as Australia ruled the cricketing world.

While Australia have some way to go before that kind of depth is recreated, Head said they've spoken about following the lead set by the senior side.

"There's so much on the line for a few guys coming up," the batsman told cricket.com.au on The Unplayable Podcast. "It's just about playing really good cricket, enjoying each other's company, having a really good time on and off the field and hopefully that brings wins.

"It then creates a strong culture for Australian cricket.

"You want to see the Australia A team come over and we've talked about … looking like a professional outfit that play really good cricket, play hard cricket.

"What they've created from the top and what the Australian team is doing well at the minute and that respect factor that spoken so highly about - we've got to do the same. We've got to win games of cricket and play that brand of cricket the guys are playing at the top."

Finch said he and coach Justin Langer have kept a close eye on the A team's results so far.

"We've been keeping an eye on the scores. There's been a bit of chat between JL and Hickey (Australia A coach Graeme Hick) and myself," he added.

"It's great to see Wadey come out and smacking them. He's done that for quite a while in domestic cricket now. It's great to see.

"They have had a couple of really good wins, the A boys, and quite convincing, as well." 

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

June 20: Australia beat Bangladesh by 48 runs

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE