World Cup 2019: Aaron Finch happy to be a 'boring' captain

Australia tops the World Cup's group-stage table, with the team captain satisfied to draw on various voices in the dressing room.

Published : Jun 16, 2019 11:35 IST

Aaron Finch feels he has minimal influence and is a "boring" captain despite his Australia side topping the table at the World Cup.

Opener Finch hit a joint career-best 153, also equalling the tournament's highest score so far, as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs at The Oval on Saturday. His team now has four wins from its five pool matches, losing only to India, and is on track to qualify for the semifinals.

Finch is happy to call upon senior figures including Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell in an Australia dressing room packed with experience as it chases a fifth title in six World Cups.

REPORT | Eighty-seven run win for Australia

Responding to a question about his leadership style, which is regarded as relaxed, Finch joked with reporters: "Makes me sounds pretty boring, doesn't it?

"I don't tend to take on too much outside of the actual captain's duties. You do all the planning as a group, the preparation, everything that you do is done as a group. I think we've got some great leaders in our squad as well, which really helps out; that everyone acts and prepares and trains and looks after each other like a leader. So I would say my influence is minimal.

 

"It's more about everyone buying into the culture and doing the job that's asked of them really well, and it's a good environment to be in at the moment. There's a lot of good guys that are doing a lot of good things behind the scenes."

Smith, formerly Australia's captain before last year's ball-tampering scandal, made 73 in a 173-run stand with Finch that took the game away from Sri Lanka. "His first 10 balls, 20 balls, he's very intense obviously," added Finch. "You'll notice guys that are non-strikers usually stand on the wicket; you get a bit more grip when you're running between wickets, as well.

WATCH | Highlights: AUS v SL

"But you'll notice when Steve starts his innings you get pushed further and further wider. He doesn't like to have anything basically within miles of his view.

"But once you start to get into the partnership and the partnership starts flowing, then he lightens up. He relaxes and you have a little bit of banter in the middle, which is quite nice."

Sri Lanka, which did not provide a representative for a post-match news conference, plays England next in Leeds on Friday. Australia's next game is a day earlier, with Finch's men facing Bangladesh at Trent Bridge.

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