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‘Sometimes I’ll look a bit silly and everyone thinks ‘What is he doing?”

James ‘The Finisher’ Faulkner earned his moniker by repeatedly delivering Australia victory with the bat in tight run-chases.

Mar 08, 2016, updated Mar 08, 2016
James Faulkner reacts after winning the second T20 cricket match against South Africa. Photo: Themba Hadebe, AP.

James Faulkner reacts after winning the second T20 cricket match against South Africa. Photo: Themba Hadebe, AP.

But Faulkner’s finishing with the ball will be just as crucial to Australia’s hopes of a breakthrough win at the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup.

Faulkner showcased both his talents in Johannesburg, where he returned from a hamstring strain in Sunday’s T20 epic against South Africa.

The allrounder entered the fray when Australia needed 11 runs off five deliveries and, with the help of Mitch Marsh, completed the nation’s highest ever T20 chase.

The Proteas would have amassed a much bigger total than 7-204 if not for Faulkner’s crafty variations.

Josh Hazlewood, John Hastings and Marsh all went at more than 10 an over but Faulkner finished with figures of 3-28, adding the offcutter to an ever-growing arsenal of deceptive deliveries.

“There’s so much cricket being played all around the world … you come up against the players so soften now so they know what’s coming,” Faulkner said.

“So I’m just trying a few different things.

“There’s going to be times when I look a bit silly and everyone at home and at the ground are thinking ‘what is he doing’.

“There might be days when it comes off.”

David Warner was impressed with the latest addition to Faulkner’s repertoire.

“He generally bowls the one out of the back of the hand and he today he actually bowled the offcutter and it worked and it was effective,” Warner said.

“We all know he’s a very, very good Twenty20 player and his execution is always on point.”

Faulkner admitted he was nervous before the Wanderers clash, having been sidelined since tweaking his hamstring in Auckland on February 3.

“Knowing how good South Africa are and obviously anything can happen in T20, I was a little bit on edge,” the Tasmanian said.

“That’s a good thing. I think the times I do have a little bit of that in me, more times than not it’s a good game and I’ve done reasonably well.”

Faulkner, having done a stack of work at Cricket Australia’s training base in Brisbane, was confident he was ready to return.

“It wasn’t great in Auckland. These things happen … it was just a matter of doing the rehab,” he said.

“Any time you come back and play the intensity is a different level. You can’t train for that.

“I’m happy to get through unscathed.”

-AAP

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