Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade is expecting to bat in the top-order for the side in the upcoming limited-overs series against the West Indies beginning Friday, July 9.
Aaron Finch-led Australian team is currently in West Indies to play a five-match T20I series and three ODIs with the tour being with the first T20I on July 9 at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia.
Ahead of the white-ball series, Wade said it is his strength that he can bat at any position as he has batted everywhere for Australia and now he hopes to bat at the top of the order in West Indies.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Wade said: “Think I'll be one, two or three. Batted three in the last T20 in New Zealand, batted at six in the first T20 against India then I opened the next two games. I can bat anywhere, that's one of my strengths, I've batted pretty much everywhere for Australia.”
The left-hander continued, “Where ever there's an opportunity I'll go to but I'd assume Finch, Warner then probably the wicketkeeper will probably be at three if not open. We'll work it out as we go but I see myself playing in the top of the order if I'm in the team so we'll wait and see.”
Wade has been sporting the gloves for Australia since replacing Alex Carey on the England tour last year and even scored back-to-back half-centuries against India in a T20I series last year, but still, he doesn’t think he has cemented his place in the national team.
The 33-year-old further noted, “Think every time you play for Australia is a bit of an audition, I've never really been a cemented player in the team so it'll be no different going into this tour.
I've played 90-odd one-dayers and every tour I went on a felt like I needed to perform or I wouldn't be on the next tour. As I've spoken about before I'm in a different place with my life and my cricket, if I get opportunities to play games of cricket again for Australia whether that be one or two games here or 10 and the World Cup, whatever comes my way I'll take.”
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Meanwhile, the hurricane Elsa swept through St Lucia and forced the island into a lockdown which meant Australia couldn’t train on Friday but Wade isn’t too worried about the preparation for the upcoming white-ball series starting next week.
Wade further added, “We sat by our windows and watched it pass through. We were lucky, think we only got the edge of it. Was like a Brisbane thunderstorm for a long period of time, high winds and a lot of rain. That will probably impact our lead-up and training in the next few days but we battened down the hatches and watched it go by.”
He signed off, “I'm not too worried about the preparation. There's obviously guys who want to get out and hit a lot of balls for those lucky enough to play a bit of subcontinent cricket and in the Caribbean, it's not too much of an issue, we can tap on our experience and that should hold us in good stead.”
(With ANI Inputs)
