Big Bash star D’Arcy Short went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in less than 24 hours, but hopes to get another shot at showing he can translate his astonishing domestic form into international success.
Short has yet to be told whether he’ll resume his opening position alongside David Warner for the second Gillette T20I against England in Hobart after making four on debut against New Zealand on Saturday. Australia will wait until the toss before naming their XI.
Regular T20 opener Aaron Finch is still battling a hamstring injury and is doubtful for Wednesday’s match at Blundstone Arena, though a Cricket Australia spokesperson said the Victorian has not been ruled out.
Stand-in captain Warner explained before the series-opener that Chris Lynn, who struck a match-winning 44 not out against the Kiwis, was also being considered to open against New Zealand depending on match-ups.
And Short said that although he prefers batting at the top, he’s prepared to slide down the order in his adopted BBL hometown.
“I’m still trying to adjust to international cricket but I definitely have confidence in what I’ve done out here throughout the last couple of weeks,” Short told reporters on Tuesday.
“I think any form of cricket you have to be adaptable and have to bat anywhere in the order, or even bowl anywhere in the order.
“Hopefully I’m opening again because I like batting there. We’ll see what happens.”
Short is unlikely to go through a bigger rollercoaster of emotions than the one he’s gone through in recent days.
On Saturday evening, he stood wide-eyed alongside Alex Carey in the middle of Australia’s team huddle at the SCG as Test legend Ricky Ponting presented the pair with their T20 International caps.
The following morning he was next to Carey again, along with fellow T20I squad member Travis Head, on a flight to Adelaide for the KFC BBL Final. Short’s Hobart Hurricanes suffered heartbreak as Carey and Head’s Strikers claimed victory in front of a jubilant Adelaide Oval crowd.
In the bizarre situation of again sitting on a plane in the same row as two of his triumphant opponents, Short revealed the Strikers duo had been gracious in victory.
“They weren’t rowdy,” said Short with a laugh. “But I was bit disappointed I had to sit next to them after losing to them the night before. I guess we’re teammates now so it’s all good.
“It was definitely some highs and lows. Very high on Saturday playing my first game, especially after getting presented my cap by Ricky Ponting.
“Then was frustrated and disappointed and maybe a little bit angry Sunday night.
“It was good to make the final but I felt like we could have won it. These things happen and there’s always next year.”
Short, who has re-signed with the Hurricanes until the end of BBL|10, has been compared to Warner and been tipped by the likes of George Bailey to have the capacity to match his success in all formats.
“I will try and pick his brains in terms of how he went from (success in) the short form to the long form,” Short said of Warner.
“It’s definitely something that I’ll try to sit down with him and have a chat about.”
Short admits he noticed a considerable step up in standard in his brief glimpse of international cricket, and has even noticed BBL clubs have begun to fine-tune how they bowl to him after his tremendous success.
“They’re definitely having different plans to me,” he explained.
“Some have may have worked a little bit but I’ve tried to adapt to that and keep changing my game around what they’re trying to do to me.
“That’s just the way cricket goes really, if you’re doing well they’re going to look at you a bit more and have game plans set to you.
“You’ve just got to keep trying to adapt to what they’re trying to do.”
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