Finch flies out pondering Cup options

Australian captain Aaron Finch says he's far from decided on an XI for their cricket World Cup opener on June 1 as they depart for England on Friday night.

Finch

Aaron Finch says Australia's optimum World Cup line-up is far from settled for their title defence. (AAP)

Aaron Finch is clear on his spin power rankings but that's about it as Australia's World Cup squad departs for England.

The squad trained in Brisbane all week, squeezing in three unofficial 50-over games against a New Zealand XI at Allan Border Field.

They will fly to the United Kingdom on Friday night - via Gallipoli where they will pay their respects at Anzac Cove - ahead of a World Cup defence from June 1.

Captain Finch sat out Friday's third match, instead facing a fit-again Josh Hazlewood in what was the quick's first time off his full run-up since a back injury in January.

Questions remain on the preferred pace battery, top order and tactics but Finch's answer to them all is that they will play it by ear.

"Everything's up in the air; there's a lot of questions to be answered but we're in a great place to do that," he said.

Finch, Usman Khawaja and the returning David Warner have all opened the batting throughout the week, Warner making just 0 and 2 in his two knocks at the top since returning from suspension alongside Steve Smith.

Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff and Kane Richardson - picked ahead of Hazlewood to replace the injured Jhye Richardson - are jostling for a berth behind spearheads Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Finch is also tossing up deploying Cummins and Starc as middle-overs wicket-taking weapons, while the captain says playing two spinners is likely if conditions demand it.

Joking that Khawaja missed a trick by not inviting him to his house for dinner this week, Finch indicated a horses-for-courses approach to batting is a possibility.

"Honest answer is no, we don't have a definitive answer on what that's going to look like," he said, when quizzed on the side's top three composition.

"It comes down to the match-ups with the opposition where we're best suited - Uzzy or Davey or Shaun (Marsh) or whoever it may be.

"It could change throughout the course of the tournament."

He said there was no clear pecking order in the pace attack but that leg-spinner Adam Zampa had emerged as the front-running tweaker ahead of Nathan Lyon.

"His performances in the (ODI series in) UAE and India were outstanding on wickets that didn't turn a huge amount but also against world class players of spin," Finch said.

Finch said Warner and Smith's return following the events of Cape Town last March - to a team on an eight-game ODI winning streak - had only emboldened the side.

"It's great ... two of the best players in the world is valuable to have at your disposal," he said.

"It's an interesting time, no doubt, them coming back in, but still a great opportunity to learn off them as well."


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Source: AAP


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