Fresh from his record-breaking Twenty20 innings, Australian opener Aaron Finch smashed his first one-day international century with a superb 148 against Scotland on Tuesday.
Having never scored higher than 38 in seven ODI appearances, Finch further cemented his place in Australia’s limited-overs side with a breakthrough performance in the 50-over format.
The 26-year-old brought up his ton off 96 balls, raising his bat to around 1000 appreciative fans at picturesque Grange Cricket Club on a cloudy day in Edinburgh.
He was caught by Freddie Coleman in the 39th over with his innings from 116 balls leaving him just short of becoming only the eighth Australian to score 150 in a one-dayer.
After a disappointing Australian summer, Finch was dropped for the Champions Trophy in June but he looks set to play a huge role in the one-day series against England.
Unlike his remarkable T20 innings of 156 from 63 balls in Southampton last week, where he blasted a record 14 sixes, Finch’s knock on Tuesday was more about patience and restraint early on.
Opening the batting alongside Shaun Marsh after the surprise omission of David Warner from the one-day squad, some tidy Scottish bowling meant Australia were restricted to just 11 runs from the opening five overs.
Finch’s first boundary did not come until the seventh over but he began scoring more freely after that and reached his maiden ODI century off 53 balls.
He had a lifeline when on 24 in the 11th over when Scottish wicketkeeper David Murphy missed a stumping chance.
Finch’s first six came in the 22nd over when he thumped Callum McLeod over the midwicket boundary and another highlight came when he smashed a powerful square six off Gordon Drummond four overs later.
After patiently bringing up his ton, he returned to his “Finch hitting” ways as Australia took the batting powerplay.
He raced to within reach of 150 before mistiming another attempted six off the bowling of spinner Majid Haq.
Finch’s innings featured 16 fours and 7 sixes as Australia were headed for a huge first-innings total after losing the toss and being sent in.
