Maxi 'batting as good as I've seen' says Finch

Glenn Maxwell will have to wait to see if he will make a return to Australia's ODI squad but the axed allrounder has been given a ringing endorsement by close friend Aaron Finch, who declared he "is batting as good as I've seen".

Australia's selectors are in no rush to replace the injured Chris Lynn, who was ruled out of the Gillette ODI series against England with a calf complaint, and will study form in the KFC BBL before making a decision, possibly as late as Saturday ahead of Sunday's opening match at the MCG.

Maxwell was a surprise omission from the original squad, then was publicly criticised by captain Steve Smith who called for greater consistency from the allrounder, with his critique that the Victorian needed to "train a little bit smarter" making headlines.

Maxwell plans to clear the air with Smith in a face-to-face meeting while the Australia squad is in Melbourne and Finch said while his former housemate was disappointed he had copped the criticism on the chin.

"He's playing some really good cricket at the moment. The way that he's batting is as good as I've seen him in terms of his tempo," Finch told reporters today.

"He's probably changed a little bit from being all guns blazing from the first ball to giving himself a little bit of time.

"I suppose the Melbourne Stars have been losing a few early wickets, and that's allowed him to bat for a bit longer before he has to take a risk.

"If the opportunity comes he'll take it with both hands and perform well again."

Finch, who is set to continue his opening partnership with David Warner in the ODI series, said Maxwell's output this summer underlined his work ethic, with Maxwell the leading run-scorer in the JLT Sheffield Shield at the mid-season break, and with a pair of fifties in his past three BBL innings.

"In the lead-up to the Shield season his training was fantastic," Finch told reporters today. "I think his results have reflected that over the last couple of months in terms of just the pure output of runs.

"Now he's getting runs in the T20s as well, and consistent runs, which is one part he probably would have liked to have addressed a bit earlier, just make sure when he is in good form he's backing that up.

"He's disappointed. He backs his ability and his game to be very successful in international cricket.. He knows averaging 22 over his past 20 games was not what the side needed, but he's gone back, been in great form, and peeled off runs."

Finch's endorsement follows that of former captain Ricky Ponting, who said there wasn't a better middle-order batsman to take the spot.

Ponting believes Maxwell – who knocked up a timely 60 from just 39 balls for Melbourne Stars in tonight's KFC Big Bash clash with Adelaide – is the man who should be filling the vacancy.

"I would put him back into the squad," Ponting said in Network Ten commentary. "There was a lot made when he was left out, the chairman of selectors and Steve Smith laid it on the line pretty clearly what they wanted to see from him.

"That was along the lines of 'train better and train smarter' and I think Trevor Hohns said something about playing a bit smarter as well.

"So you would like to think he has listened to all that – he knows what he has to do now when he goes back into that squad.

"An opportunity has presented itself earlier than what Maxwell might have thought, if they actually go ahead and pick him.

"And as far as I'm concerned I don't think there's a better middle-order batsman than him to take that spot.

"So as long as he's learnt his lesson and listened to what those people have had to say, absolutely I think he can go back to international cricket and dominate."

Finch said Australia's recent struggles in the one-day format – the World Cup winners have won just one of their past 10 ODIs – stemmed from not building enough of a platform for an assault in the final 15 overs. 

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21

2017-18 International Results

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test Match drawn. Scorecard

Fifth Test Australia win by an innings and 123 runs. Scorecard