Finch happy to be the man in the middle

Aaron Finch is set to remain in the middle order for Tuesday's must-win third ODI against England at Trent Bridge with Australia still searching for answers to a one-day malaise that has seen them slip to a record 34-year low.

Finch said Australia's batters need to be "more accountable" and show more patience, but may also be suffering from muddled thinking and anxiety about regular collapses, especially against spin. 

"At times I think we're playing some good cricket, at times we're making some mistakes that seem to be happening pretty regularly," said Finch. 

"We keep talking about middle-order collapses and losing wickets in clumps and it keeps happening.

"I don't know whether we're working ourselves up into a frenzy about things like that but it's disappointing obviously."

Shaun Marsh struck a brilliant 131 in Saturday's second ODI at Cardiff, and Glenn Maxwell struck 62 in the first match at The Oval. The next best performing batter on tour has been Ashton Agar, the spin-bowling allrounder, with scores of 46 and 40. 

Defeats here have seen Australia lose 13 of their past 15 completed ODIs with the two wins coming in dead rubbers. They have lost seven of the last eight ODIs and face losing a fourth successive bilateral one-day series for the first time ever if they cannot win at Trent Bridge. 

England spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid have taken five wickets each across the two games and Finch admits the Australians are yet to find the correct approach in the 50-over format.

"It's about minimising a little bit of risk at times," he said. "In the past we've been ultra-aggressive against spin and we're probably still going with that (tactic) a little bit at times rather than taking the game a little bit deeper. 

"Whether that's through a lack of attention to detail or trying to up the ante too much and push the game forward when we just need to hold a little bit … only the individual knows what their role is in the side at the time, in that partnership, in that scenario. 

"I think we've got to be a little bit more honest with ourselves and our teammates and probably just communicate a little bit better and be accountable to each other and just try and soak up a little bit more pressure. 

"There have been some times where we've really let ourselves down with the bat."

Finch batted in the middle order for the first time in his 90-match ODI career in Cardiff, but the ploy backfired when he missed a sweep shot to a full ball and was leg before for a fourth-ball duck. 

The Victorian opened with Travis Head in the first game, while D'Arcy Short was used at the top on his one-day debut in Cardiff.

"We've got a few guys who can bat at the top of the order. Over the last 12 or 18 months I've batted in the middle order in quite a lot of T20 cricket – the IPL, the recent T20 tri-series – and done it reasonably successfully as well," said Finch. 

"So it's just about trying to find a balance in our side. What we have been doing hasn't been working over the last little while, but it's also a chance to try some new things. 

He added: "I'm very comfortable batting at five. I haven't done it a hell of a lot in one-day cricket but… having done it in T20 cricket over the last 18 months gives me a bit more of an understanding on how to go about it.

"It's something that, over the next 12 months, will be shuffled around a little bit, just trying to find … what combinations work best for the side.

"I'm sure there will be a little bit of tinkering. 

"If you look down our batting order in the first two games, besides Shaun getting a big hundred, most guys have got starts.

"It’s about kicking on, being more ruthless, more disciplined through that middle part when we are getting out. 

"It’s about taking more care. But we are still positive, we are still good players. The young guys are very skilful."  

Australia's third ODI with England is a day-night match at Trent Bridge. Coverage on 9GEM starts at 10.30pm AEST.

Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (injured), David Willey, Chris Woakes (injured), Mark Wood

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of the UK

June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove

June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's

June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval

June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final