The Australia LOI tour of England (2020) Thread

[MenInG]

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today announced that Hampshire’s The Ageas Bowl and Lancashire’s Emirates Old Trafford will host England Men’s white-ball international matches behind closed doors later this summer against Australia.

The Australian squad will arrive into the UK on 24 August, travelling to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground before transferring to The Ageas Bowl after England’s third Test match against Pakistan on 27 August. Australia will play a 50-over intra-squad practice game and three T20 practice matches before the start of the three-match Vitality IT20 series against England commencing on 4 September at The Ageas Bowl. The Southampton venue will host all three Vitality IT20s including matches on Sunday 6 September and Tuesday 8 September.

The three Royal London Internationals will take place at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday 11 September, Sunday 13 September and the final match of the tour on Wednesday 16 September. The three ODIs will form part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

Vitality IT20s:

1st IT20 v Australia: Friday 4 September at The Ageas Bowl (6.00pm start)

2nd IT20 v Australia: Sunday 6 September The Ageas Bowl (2.00pm start)

3rd IT20 v Australia: Tuesday 8 September The Ageas Bowl (6.00pm start)

Royal London Series:

1st ODI v Australia: Friday 11 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)

2nd ODI v Australia: Sunday 13 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)

3rd ODI v Australia: Wednesday 16 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said:


“We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff and administrators of Cricket Australia for their efforts in getting this tour underway. Their co-operation to ensure these matches are staged is crucial to cricket in this country. It will also provide much-needed financial aid at all levels of cricket in England and Wales as we work through the challenges in front of us.

“The rivalry between England and Australia is the pinnacle of sporting competition. The Vitality IT20s and the Royal London Series will be thrilling contests and a perfect way to culminate the men’s international season in this extraordinary summer.

“I want to congratulate my colleagues at the ECB and the various bio-secure venues working tirelessly in unprecedented circumstances, as we work to ensure that all England men’s international fixtures are fulfilled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In total, 18 international fixtures including six Test matches, six IT20s and six ODIs have been organised across two bio-secure venues, Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford, which is testament to our efficient planning both from an operational and medical point of view. I’m very proud of what our game has achieved, and that cricket is seen as the standard-bearers in developing bio-secure sporting events to the highest of standards.”

Cricket Australia interim Chief Executive Officer, Nick Hockley, added:

“We are very excited to be heading to England and to get back into the international fray. We congratulate the ECB on leading the resumption of the game in a way that places the health and safety of players and staff at its core.

“We would also like to thank the Australian Government for granting travel exemptions for the Australian men’s team, as well as all those who have worked tirelessly to put together a plan that allows for the tour to progress in a bio-secure way.”

Ends

Editorial notes:

Original dates for England Men’s series against Australia

England Men’s three-match Vitality IT20 series against Australia was due to start at Emirates Riverside on Friday 3 July. The second match was scheduled for Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday 5 July before the series was to conclude at Emerald Headingly on Tuesday 7 July.

The three-match Royal London Series was scheduled to begin on Saturday 11 July at Lord’s followed by the second match at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday 14 July and the third match at the Bristol County Ground on Thursday 16 July.

Host Venue Panel

The ECB’s independent Host Venue Panel (HVP) recommended the use of two full matchday broadcast venues for the international fixtures against Australia.

HVP’s rationale for selecting venues:

Reducing the movement of people as much as possible, mitigating the risk of infection.

Reduces the number of individuals required to deliver the matches and in turn, reduces the risk of infection.

Reduces the movement of core infrastructure between venues and the associated time and costs.

Opportunity to create ‘island sites’ for the delivery of matches.

Venues will be locked down in bio-secure environments for long periods of time.

Take measures not to add to the burden on the NHS.

Venues had to demonstrate key principles to create a bio-secure environment. The criteria comprised of:

Biosecurity

- Venue perimeter, access and access control

- Accommodation (onsite or nearby)

Medical screening/testing provision

- Designated areas for isolation of anyone presenting symptoms.

- Car parking requirements (approx. 200)

- Medical Screening and Testing sites (approx. 1500 m2)

Footprint to enable social distancing

- Extendable Players and Match Official areas

- Extendable space for broadcast compounds, studios and written media.


Venue/Cricket operations

- The number and suitability of TV pitches

- Provision for warm-up matches

- Indoor and outdoor practice facilities

The Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford will receive an administration fee for hosting the matches, and the ECB will meet all incremental staging costs.

 

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Qantas Tour of the UK confirmed; squad announced

The Australian men’s Qantas Tour of England has been confirmed with Aaron Finch’s squad to travel to the United Kingdom later this month.

Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have agreed to detailed biosecurity and travel plans for what will be the first international tour undertaken by an Australian national sporting team since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The CA board approved the plans at a meeting last week and the Australian Government on Wednesday granted exemptions for outbound travel for the touring Australian squad.

The Australian men’s team will depart from Perth on Sunday, August 23 and travel to Derby. They will play four practice matches – three T20s and one 50-over game – before playing England in three Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton and Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. Both venues have hotels on site.

Cricket Australia has also worked closely with the Federal Government as well as health authorities in planning the tour.

Nick Hockley, CA’s Interim Chief Executive, said: “We are very excited to be heading to England and to get back into the international fray. We congratulate the ECB on leading the resumption of the game in a way that places the health and safety of players and staff at its core.

“We would also like to thank the Australian Government, as well as all those who have worked tirelessly to put together a plan that allows for the tour to progress in a bio-secure way.”

Justin Langer, the Australian men’s Head Coach, said: “It’s vital for cricket that we do everything we can to keep the game going in these tough times.

“I am delighted with how the players have returned to their states from the break back in March. The whole squad has come back fitter and stronger, which is great testament to each of them.

“We have a massive assignment ahead with World Cups, Test Series against India and South Africa and the Ashes next year. We can’t wait to get back into it again.”

The three One-Day Internationals will form part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has chosen the following Australian T20 and ODI squad for the Qantas Tour of England:

Aaron Finch (c) (Victoria)
Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
Alex Carey (South Australia)
Pat Cummins (vc) (New South Wales)
Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales)
Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)
Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)
Mitchell Marsh (Western Australia)
Glenn Maxwell (Victoria)
Riley Meredith (Tasmania)
Josh Philippe (Western Australia)
Daniel Sams (New South Wales)
Kane Richardson (South Australia)
Steven Smith (New South Wales)
Mitchell Starc (New South Wales)
Marcus Stoinis (Western Australia)
Andrew Tye (Western Australia)
Matthew Wade (Tasmania)
David Warner (New South Wales)
Adam Zampa (New South Wales)

“It’s a squad with great depth and a sprinkle of some exceptional young players,” Trevor Hohns, National Selector, said.

“We are very pleased with the final group which was chosen with a view to continuing our recent form in T20 cricket and the longer term goal of returning to the top in the 50 over game.

“The top and middle order is extremely strong, there’s plenty of accomplished all-rounders, fantastic fast bowling depth and spin options. The squad also has the cover required to meet all contingencies given replacements are not available for this tour if injury or illness were to occur.

“The NSP believes this squad, along with those who missed out and others who perform well in domestic cricket, offers a solid platform for success in the white ball game going forward.”

Glenn Maxwell returns to the side from an elbow injury in place of D’Arcy Short while fellow all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is also back in the squad.

Maxwell’s return to international cricket, along with his all-round skills, means Short comes out of the squad having replaced the Victorian on the tour of South Africa in March.

Young guns Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith also join the UK squad.

“We are very excited by these young players who we believe are all capable of playing a role in the Australian setup in coming years,” Hohns said.

Aaron Finch will captain the side with Pat Cummins as vice-captain. The NSP has reviewed and refined the leadership of the squad, reverting to the traditional setup of captain and vice-captain.

“After taking advice and reviewing the leadership of the squad we have decided to revert back to the traditional captain and one vice-captain setup,” Hohns said.

“Alex remains a genuine leader within the squad and will continue to provide valuable support to Aaron as skipper. Pat is very much in the same category and someone the entire squad has immense respect for as a person and a player.

"This is not a reflection of succession planning, but rather a decision to return to the traditional leadership set-up that has served Australian cricket so well for generations.

“We now have quite an established and experienced senior playing group who all play an important role in the leadership of the team on and off the field. As has always been the case all senior players have a strong voice in all aspects of planning, preparation and playing.”

Australian men’s team Senior Assistant Coach Andrew McDonald will not travel with the squad to the UK to fulfill a pre-existing commitment as Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

McDonald will resume his duties with the Australian men’s team at the conclusion of the IPL.

Experienced CA High Performance Coach Troy Cooley and Melbourne Stars WBBL Head Coach Trent Woodhill will provide coaching support to Justin Langer throughout the tour, in addition to Performance Analyst Dene Hills, Selector George Bailey and the broader team support staff.

Australian Men’s Qantas Tour of England matches:

Friday, Sept 4: 1st T20 International, The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Sunday, Sept 6: 2nd T20 International, The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Tuesday, Sept 8: 3rd T20 International, The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Friday, Sept 11: 1st ODI, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
Sunday, Sept 13: 2nd ODI, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
Wednesday, Sept 16: 3rd ODI, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

this would be a good series to watch.. a full strength australia vs england.

 

[MenInG]

Well done to England to get the whole COVID thing sorted properly and in time

 

[MenInG]

A trio of young Big Bash stars will vie for international debuts while Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon and Marcus Stoinis are in line for recalls for the Australian men's team's first international matches in nearly six months.

Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith have all been named in large 21-man touring party for the limited-overs series against England that was confirmed on Friday and will get underway on September 4.

D'Arcy Short the most notable omission from the initial 26-man preliminary squad CA named for the tour last month while Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Michael Neser and Ben McDermott also missed out.

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Cricket Australia (CA) received government exemptions for the squad to travel to the UK this week for the six-game (three T20s, three ODIs) tour which will be played under strict biosecurity arrangements.

After four warm-up games in Derby, the Aussies will play three T20s at the Rose Bowl in Southampton before three ODIs at Old Trafford in Manchester. Both those venues have hotels on site.

The ODIs will form part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) new ODI Super League, which England kicked off with their recent series against Ireland.

The Australian squad members not taking part in the subsequent Indian Premier League (which begins September 19 in the UAE) will quarantine for two weeks when they return home.

Those players and support staff will not be able to join their state teams for the domestic season until the beginning of October.

Stoinis has not played for Australia since last year's World Cup while Maxwell has not featured since withdrawing from international cricket for mental health reasons in October. Maxwell was named for Australia's tour of South Africa last summer but had to withdraw due to elbow surgery.

Short replaced him in the middle order for Australia's most recent ODIs against South Africa and New Zealand, top scoring with 69 in the second ODI against the Proteas in Bloemfontein.

Andrew Tye joins Maxwell and Stoinis in returning to the squad, with the death-bowling specialist included despite not holding a state contract. Tye's last international was in 2018.

Fellow Western Australian quick Jhye Richardson remains sidelined due to recent shoulder surgery.

Philippe was singled out by Justin Langer earlier this year as a match-winner following a couple of eye-catching seasons with the Sydney Sixers, while Sams (Sydney Thunder) and Meredith (Hobart Hurricanes) have also impressed in the BBL.

"It's a squad with great depth and a sprinkle of some exceptional young players," said National Selection Panel chair Trevor Hohns.

"We are very excited by these young players who we believe are all capable of playing a role in the Australian setup in coming years."

Test star Nathan Lyon is also back in the limited-overs fold having, like Stoinis, played his last game in coloured clothes for Australia during the World Cup.

Australia's experiment with multiple vice-captains appears over with Pat Cummins named as Aaron Finch's sole deputy for the tour. Alex Carey had previously shared the role with him.

"After taking advice and reviewing the leadership of the squad we have decided to revert back to the traditional captain and one vice-captain setup," Hohns said.

"Alex remains a genuine leader within the squad and will continue to provide valuable support to Aaron as skipper. Pat is very much in the same category and someone the entire squad has immense respect for as a person and a player.

"This is not a reflection of succession planning, but rather a decision to return to the traditional leadership set-up that has served Australian cricket so well for generations."

With assistant coach Andrew McDonald heading to the IPL to coach the Rajasthan Royals, Trent Woodhill has stepped into the void having recently left his post as list manager with the Melbourne Stars men's team to join CA's BBL team as a "player acquisition and cricket consultant".

Woodhill remains head coach of the Stars' WBBL side, with their season currently scheduled to begin on October 17.

England, the reigning World Cup champions who knocked the Aussies out of last year's tournament in the semi-finals, could field a full-strength team for the T20 and ODI series.

The ICC's No.1 ranked 50-over side have been forced to split red- and white-ball players into separate squads in recent weeks as Tests against Pakistan have overlapped with ODIs against Ireland.

England are yet to name squads for their three T20s against Pakistan beginning August 28. It would mark a tight turnaround for their Test players to feature in that series given the final Test against Pakistan is set to finish August 26.

The extra week before the T20s against Australia begin could be enough time for Test players who are also white-ball stars – the likes of Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and Joe Root – to freshen up.

The strict protocols of the bio-secure bubbles in place for each series have complicated adding squad members. This would affect a possible return to the England side for Ben Stokes, who is currently in New Zealand for personal reasons.

2020 Qantas Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: TBC

August 23: Fly from Perth to UK, transfer to Derby

Australia will play three T20 and one 50-over intra-squad practice games

September 4: 1st T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 6: 2nd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 8: 3rd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/aus...ll-stoinis-lyon-tye-bubble-covid19/2020-08-14

 

[MenInG]

Nasser Hussain on Sky TV:

“Whatever happens with fans in the ground, when England play Australia in any sport, especially cricket there are a lot of eyes on it.

“Some of our viewing figures for this series and the West Indies series that preceded it have been absolutely unbelievable, so people are enjoying their cricket. It’s going to be a great watch.”

 

[Kroll]

Should be an entertaining watch with two fantastic LOI teams battling it out.

 

[MenInG]

IPL over country!

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Australia’s senior assistant coach Andrew McDonald will miss next month’s tour of England owing to a pre-existing commitment with his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR), the country’s cricket board said on Friday.

“Australian men’s team Senior Assistant Coach Andrew McDonald will not travel with the squad to the UK to fulfill a pre-existing commitment as Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.

The former Australia all-rounder had replaced Paddy Upton as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals last year.

Australia is scheduled to travel to England to play three T20 Internationals and as many ODIs from September 4-16.

The 13th edition of IPL is set to take place in the UAE from September 19 to November 10 after it was shifted out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Royals are expected to fly to the UAE after August 20. The 39-year-old will resume his duties with the Australian men’s team at the conclusion of the IPL.

Several players from England and Australia, including top draws like David Warner, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins are likely to miss the first week of IPL as the tournament’s SOP requires six days of quarantine on arrival in the UAE.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...commitments/story-kzMZhjMwoqLaiHDSOn4jNK.html

 

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ECB chief executive Tom Harrison admitted England owe Australia a ‘significant debt of gratitude’ after the old enemy named a 21-man touring squad.

Three Twenty20s at the Ageas Bowl and three one-day matches at Old Trafford were confirmed for next month after the Australian government granted exemptions for the squad to travel.

The ECB face losses of £106million for this summer blighted by the pandemic — a figure that would have increased by £76m had the Australians not toured

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/c...s-agree-play-six-matches-against-England.html

 

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The Australian cricket team is better for the 5-0 ODI series whitewashing handed to them by England in 2018, head coach Justin Langer has said.

Langer's Australia tour England in September for three ODIs and T20Is and he has spoken about the pain of their most recent white-ball tour in 2018, which was the first time an Australian side had lost all five matches in a ODI series against England.

Australia went into that series amid the fallout from the ball-tampering scandal, which saw captain Steve Smith and opening batsman David Warner banned for 12 months and Langer replace Darren Lehmann as head coach.

Langer likened the series to David and Goliath, saying: "When we went there two years ago, it felt hugely different. I didn't know any of the players, the players didn't know me. The support staff were all getting to know each other.

"We'd come through a great crisis which had rattled everyone. There were scars everywhere and we took on the best one-day team in the world at the time.

"It was really hard, because the expectation is that any Australian cricket team is going to win every game and we lost 5-0."

Langer, however, says the team picked to fly out to England on Sunday is not the same as the one that was dominated by England two years ago.

"As tough as it was at the time, two years on I'm glad we went through it," he added. "It was a really tough tour, but my experience of life is you learn your best lessons when you're going through the toughest times.

"You hang in there, you become more resilient, you become closer as a group, you find out about each other as a team and as individuals and become a better squad.

"We've got two world-class players back in Steve Smith and David Warner, we've got some of our fast bowlers back. Quite a few of our best players weren't playing [in 2018], which always has quite an impact. But we've come a long way."

Australia are travelling with a bumper 21-man squad to England due to the logistical difficulties of flying in reinforcements in the time of Covid-19.

Uncapped players like Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith are included among the party, but Langer has stressed he will be playing his best team

"When it comes to picking our first 11, well still be picking our best 11," he said. "That's how its always worked well in the Australian team. And for some of the younger guys, if they force their way in through some of their performances in the practice games, that'd be great.

"It will just be nice to have them and give them a feel for what its like to be around the Australian cricket team."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...hitewashing-by-england-in-2018-made-us-better

 

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Cricket Australia is going the extra mile to minimise the risk of its stars leaving the country with even a sniffle ahead of the first tour by an Australian national sporting team since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players based on the eastern seaboard and in Tasmania have been told to wear masks at the airport and on board commercial flights to Adelaide on Sunday. The party will then board chartered flights to Perth and the UK before entering their biosecurity bubble in Derby.

CA has even asked media attending Steve Smith's departure press conference at Sydney Airport on Sunday to wear masks and abide by social distancing guidelines.

The wearing of masks is not compulsory in Sydney, as it is in Melbourne, but strongly recommended by the NSW Government if it is hard to maintain 1.5 metres of physical distance from others and in "high-risk indoor areas".

No stone is being left unturned by CA in limiting their players', coaches' and support staff's exposure not just to the coronavirus but even the common cold.

Any illness that carries similar symptoms to COVID-19 would require a person to be tested and segregated from the rest of the squad, which impacts the ability to train and compete.

Smith, David Warner and Australia's other NSW-based players have effectively been living in stage three restrictions for close to a fortnight, while Victorian pair Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell have been in stage four lockdown since August 2.

Even support staff on standby for the tour have had restrictions placed on them in case they are needed on duty.

The last thing CA would want is for a player, having already taken so many precautions, to be infected by an over-enthusiastic camera person or reporter.

"All media are asked to wear face masks," CA wrote in a media advisory on Saturday. "Media are required to be a minimum of at least three metres away during the interview, with microphones placed on stands no closer than one metre.

"Any media capturing check-in vision are required to be at least three metres from players, coaches and staff at all times; wearing face masks."

As reported by this masthead on Saturday, Australia's players will be subjected to more stringent protocols in England than those agreed to by the West Indies and Pakistan.

Australian players seldom venture far beyond the team hotel when on tour, especially on the subcontinent, but the UK is one place where they would normally get out and about. They will, however, be unable to leave the team's biosecure bubble for the duration of near four-week long tour.

"I don't feel like it will be too dissimilar to a normal tour where your train, you play, you have lots of down time to watch whatever TV show you want, talk to other people," wicketkeeper Alex Carey said.

"We'll be isolated as group but we've got such a big group there's lots of people to mingle with and talk to and have that friendly banter with.

"I'm excited to get over there and really embrace the next three to four weeks in the UK and then go from there."

This could be the start of many months in the bubble for Australia's top cricketers, with uncertainty still over what shape the home summer will take.

Those taking part in the Indian Premier League may not return until mid-November, after which they will have to spend two weeks in quarantine before possibly joining a Test hub for series against Afghanistan and India.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...d-last-minute-infections-20200822-p55obj.html

 

[MenInG]

Steve Smith will have to find motivation from within on Australia's upcoming limited-overs tour of England, suggesting he will in fact miss the heckles from English crowds that followed him around the country last year.

Twenty-one of Australia's elite cricketers said goodbye to their loved ones today as they boarded a charter flight for the United Kingdom to herald a new era of cricket during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith dominated on his last trip to England, scoring 774 runs in four Tests including twin tons in his Test return at Edgbaston where he was roundly jeered by the hostile home crowd.

It came after consistent boos during Australia's preceding ODI World Cup campaign in the UK.

"I do like batting there, unfortunately there's going to be no crowd there to egg me on and give me a bit more motivation," Smith said on Sunday at Sydney airport.

"I've watched a bit of the Tests England have played, and we know their white-ball cricket over the last few years has been exceptional, so it's going to be a good series."

With the landscape of Australia's domestic first-class and one-day competitions still unknown, the majority of the men's national squad will not be back in the country until November, after this year's rescheduled Indian Premier League.

Australia's players flew into Perth from ports around the country where the first order of business was a reunion. The team hasn't been together since March's Chappell-Hadlee ODI series with New Zealand was cancelled after one game in front of empty SCG stands.

The first Australian team to leave these shores since the pandemic began, the Australians – plus coaches and support staff – boarded a charter flight direct to the East Midlands. The squad will spend a few days in a hotel attached to Derby's cricket ground before a three-hour bus ride to Southampton's Rose Bowl and its associated hotel.

A series of T20 and 50-over practice games will be played there, before the world's top-ranked T20 team meets England in three T20 internationals at the venue.

The series will then shift to Old Trafford – another venue with a hotel attached – for three ODIs against the team crowned World Cup winner's after last year's tied final against New Zealand.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into it, obviously it's going to be a bit different than what we're used to being in a bubble and playing with no crowds," Smith said.

"That presents a challenge in itself, but one we're looking forward to."

While the Aussie squad left en masse, there are already a handful of Australians plying their trade abroad: Shane Watson and Nathan Coulter-Nile are serving a seven-day quarantine in Dubai hotel rooms after arriving there for the IPL this weekend.

Queenslander Billy Stanlake will soon join them for another season with Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Chris Lynn and Chris Green will arrive after the Caribbean Premier League tournament.

Lynn and Green are joined by Ben Dunk and Fawad Ahmed in Trinidad where the entire CPL is being held in a bubble as strict biosecurity measures have become a fact of life for cricketers.

"It'll be interesting to see how long the bubble(s) lasts for, how long we're going to have to be in that," Smith said today.

"We're lucky to be able to go and play, we'll just do what we need to and play it day by day, stick together as a bunch and help each other out.

"I'm sure there will be tough moments for all the guys being away from their families for long periods of time."

Smith said the enforced break from cricket had left him mentally refreshed and "raring to go".

"I enjoyed it (no cricket) for a little bit, it was nice to take a break and put the tools down and just refresh myself mentally and physically and have a chance to have a bit of a pre-season," Smith said.

For the eight Australians on their way to England that are not involved in the IPL, the conditions attached to their quarantine on arrival home in mid-September have yet to be locked in.

Chief among the concerns will be the ability to train while serving their 14-day quarantine, a point especially pertinent to the fast bowlers who will seek to maintain their fitness.

2020 Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: TBC

August 23: Fly from Perth to UK

Australia will play three T20 and one 50-over intra-squad practice games

September 4: 1st T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 6: 2nd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 8: 3rd T20, The Rose Bowl, Southampton

September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, Manchester

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ste...ers-tour-covid-19-flight-departure/2020-08-23

 

[MenInG]

Australia men's limited-overs captain Aaron Finch on Wednesday said his team's limited-overs tour to England is crucial to the health of the sport as it tries to recover from the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Australia is resuming international cricket for the first time since March with three T20Is and three ODIs against world champion England.

“For the health of the global game, we need cricket up and running," said Finch. “Our part as players is to ensure we are doing everything we can while following the health guidelines and travel restrictions. For me, as soon as the health authorities said 'it was safe enough to travel', I was 100 per cent confident of getting over here (England) and playing.”

Australia is following West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland into the bio-secure environment which has been a considerable success with the exceptions of England fast bowler Jofra Archer, who breached protocol when he made a detour home, and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez who clicked a picture with an elderly lady on the golf course adjacent to the hotel at the Ageas Bowl. Watching a steady stream of cricket inside the bio-bubble has put 'a lot of people's mind at ease', according to Finch. "It shows that you can travel and lock yourself up in a bio-bubble and make it [cricket] happen. The two Test series and the Irish ODIs prove that we can work well within strict guidelines and continue to grow the game."

Like the West Indies and Pakistan, Australia will be warming up with five intra-squad matches before facing England. "The first intra-squad 50-over game will be on Friday, and then we will probably play four T20 practice games. Coming off such a long break, it will be really important for us to get together as a group and have a high intensity hit out.

"It's been a long time sitting at home, especially (for those of us) from Melbourne, and a little bit from Sydney, just to get outside again and train and play is going to be great. Between myself and Patty [Pat Cummins], we will sit down and pick a couple of sides in preparation for Friday."

Unbelievable achievement

Finch also heaped praise on England's James Anderson, who became the first seamer to claim 600 Test wickets with the dismissal of Pakistan's Azhar Ali on the final afternoon of the third Test in Southampton. "It is an extraordinary achievement," Finch said. "He has been an amazing player for so long... and I think to be able to pick 600 wickets shows longevity in the game. With the number of Tests he has played, to be able to back up and do it all around the world is something unbelievable. Congratulations to Jimmy."

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...oronavirus-james-anderson/article32444700.ece

 

[King_Kohli]

Smith is ready with 3 kits

 

[sweep_shot]

Smith is ready with 3 kits

View attachment 102924

Is that a guitar? I didn't know he plays guitar.

Australia lost 0-5 last time they played ODI in England.

 

[MenInG]

Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe will get a chance to prove himself in the middle order in Australia's opening intra-squad match of their tour of England tonight (AEST).

The first of Australia's four warm-up matches has been reduced to a 20-over game due to anticipated afternoon rain in Southampton, with the match to start at 10.30am local time (7.30pm AEST).

Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins will captain the two sides, with Finch to resume his long-standing opening partnership with David Warner.

Finch XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Sams, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Riley Meredith, Nathan Lyon, TBC local player/s

Cummins XI: Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (c), Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

KFC BBL stars Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade will open for the Cummins XI while Philippe, who has been a revelation as an opener in the Big Bash, is listed to bat at No.5 in the Finch XI behind Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh.

Australia's incumbent ODI and T20 gloveman Alex Carey will bat at No.5 for the Cummins XI behind Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, who has not played a game for his country since last October.

Australia's star bowlers have been split between the two teams; Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon will lead the Finch XI attack alongside Andrew Tye and uncapped pair Riley Meredith and Daniel Sams, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will spearhead the Cummins XI bowlers with spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa as well as quicks Kane Richardson and Sean Abbott.

Australia have picked an extended 21-player squad for the tour, with a local Hampshire player set to fill in as the 11th player for the Finch XI.

There will be no live coverage of the intra-squad practice matches due to the logistical challenges associated with this tour, however cricket.com.au will have a full recap of the action on Saturday morning AEST.

Australia have bedded down their top order in both one-day and T20 cricket, but there remain questions marks around the identity of their middle-order batters in both formats.

While Wade, Stoinis and Philippe have all thrived as openers in domestic cricket, their most likely way into the senior side is seemingly in the middle order, putting extra emphasis on their performances in these warm-up matches.

Wade and Stoinis, who both averaged more than 50 in last season's Big Bash tournament, should be tested by the express pace of Starc and Meredith, Australia's two fastest bowlers who are expected to share the new ball for the Finch XI.

"He's a huge talent, there's been a bit of chat around him for a couple of domestic seasons now," Starc said of Meredith this week.

"He bowls fast; that's the great thing about him, he can just run in and express himself with the ball.

"Hopefully he can do so in these practice games and if he gets his chance in Australian colours, I think he'll take it with both hands."

Australia's three-match T20 series against England, their first international cricket since March, will start early on the morning of September 5 (AEST) before three ODIs on September 11, 13 and 16.

Finch XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Sams, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Riley Meredith, Nathan Lyon, TBC local player/s

Cummins XI: Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (c), Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

2020 Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: TBC

September 4: 1st T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 5

September 6: 2nd T20, Southampton, 11.15pm AEST

September 8: 3rd T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 9

September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/aus...land-tour-intra-squad-warm-up-game/2020-08-28

 

[MenInG]

Openers Aaron Finch, David Warner and Matthew Wade all made an impact with the bat before Southampton's weather ended any chance of a result in Australia's opening intra-squad match of their tour of England.


Rain stopped play after 5.5 overs of the second innings of the T20 game with the Pat Cummins XI 0-60 in response to the Aaron Finch XI's total of 150 from their 20 overs.

It was the first match of any kind the Australians have played since the cricket world was shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Australians will look to play a a pair T20s on Sunday and have pencilled in another practice game next week before their six-match white-ball series against England starts early in the morning of September 5 (AEST).

Wade (36 not out from 18 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (21no from 17) had given the Cummins XI a strong start in their run chase after Finch (40 from 29) and Warner (42 from 35) had earlier put on 75 for the first wicket.

For the Cummins XI, spin duo Adam Zampa (2-18 from three overs) and Ashton Agar (1-18 from three) continued their good form from recent T20s together, while Cummins (2-26 from three) and Kane Richardson (2-26 from three) both took two wickets each.

The Finch XI had appeared on track for a sizeable total after Finch and Warner gave them a quick start and WA pair Josh Philippe (20 from 16) and Mitchell Marsh (23 from 18) both got themselves in.

But the Finch XI lost their last eight wickets for just 38 runs to be all out for 150 from the final ball of the innings.

Australia's extended 21-man squad for this tour is heavy on bowlers, meaning both sides will have quite long batting tails in these warm-up matches.

Despite the match being washed out, Wade said playing in the middle for the first time in more than five months was crucial ahead of the first T20 against England next week.

"Just to stand out in the middle with no nets around you is valuable," he said.

"Especially for the bowlers, they obviously haven't had a lot of match practice … so these matches are vital for us.

"I'm sure if we can get a 50-over game in and a couple more T20s, the bowlers will have plenty of work under their belts and we'll be raring to go by the time the first T20 comes around."

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mat...atthew-wade-scorecard-video-scores/2020-08-29

 

[MenInG]

Josh Hazlewood believes England have impressive white-ball depth but the Australia fast bowler is undaunted ahead of the upcoming limited-overs matches between the teams.

England are without several first-team players in their T20 series against Pakistan but Tom Banton and Dawid Malan have answered captain Eoin Morgan's calls for those on the fringes to put forward their cases.

Banton amassed 71 off only 42 balls in Friday's abandoned opener while Malan's assured 54 not from 36 deliveries - his seventh 50-plus score in 12 T20 innings - helped England wrap up a five-wicket victory on Sunday.

Hazlewood said: "We've seen a bit more depth from them this year with having to have different players in each squad. They had a good chase against Pakistan, they know their roles and their white-ball team is as good as ever.

"A few of the new guys who I haven't seen a great deal of (have stood out recently): Tommy Banton, Dawid Malan - I've seen him but he's in the runs again.

"Eoin Morgan runs a really good ship in the white-ball stuff, the confidence is always high and they always win a lot of games of cricket so they're pretty confident. They're always a tough team."

After Pakistan conclude their tour obligations on Tuesday, England move on to face Australia in three T20s at the Ageas Bowl in a series which starts on Friday while three one-day internationals follow later in September.

The most recent ODI series between the teams saw Australia whitewashed 5-0 in 2018, while England memorably trounced Aaron Finch's side in the semi-finals of the World Cup last year.

England may have won 11 of their most recent 14 completed T20s to sit second in the sprint format rankings but Australia occupy top spot and Hazlewood is bullish about their chances in both series.

He said: "We're coming off not much cricket but we always think we can win any game of cricket, to be honest, in Australia and around the world in any format.

"England are flying at the moment and there's a couple of new faces we've got to look at. It's always tough here but we expect to win every game we play."

Hazlewood regained his spot in Australia's 50-over side earlier this year, but he is below Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Kane Richardson in the T20 pecking order.

But with Australia having won their last four series in a row, Hazlewood admitted he may have to bide his time, adding: "It's a tough side to get into.

"The team keeps winning and the guys are going well, especially the bowling unit. If I was in the team and we were doing that, I'd expect to keep playing. I guess I'm just waiting for that position to open up."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...me-they-play-but-england-series-will-be-tough

 

[Saj]

England National Selectors name squads for Australia series

The England National Selectors have named the squads for the Vitality IT20s and Royal London Series against Australia.

Both series will be played behind closed doors, in a bio-secure environment at the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford.

England Men’s IT20 Squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Reserves:

Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire).

England Men’s ODI Squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Reserves:

Joe Denly (Kent), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire).

Jason Roy’s left side strain will not be ready for the Vitality IT20s starting on Friday. The Surrey batsman will stay inside the bio-secure bubble, with a view to demonstrating his fitness for the Royal London Internationals.

Commenting on the selection of the squad, National Selector Ed Smith, said:

“These two series against Australia provide an exciting end to the summer. We have selected strong squads. We are also continuing to develop depth in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cups.”

Ends

Vitality IT20s:

1st IT20 v Australia: Friday 4 September at The Ageas Bowl (6.00pm start)
2nd IT20 v Australia: Sunday 6 September The Ageas Bowl (2.15pm start)
3rd IT20 v Australia: Tuesday 8 September The Ageas Bowl (6.00pm start)

Royal London Series:

1st ODI v Australia: Friday 11 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)
2nd ODI v Australia: Sunday 13 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)
3rd ODI v Australia: Wednesday 16 September at Emirates Old Trafford (1.00pm start)

 

[MenInG]

Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey dominate final T20 warm-up matchMarnus Labuschagne’s irrepressible form for Australia has continued with a century in his side’s final T20 warm-up game ahead of the Vitality IT20 Series against England in Southampton.

The Queenslander scored an even 100 from 50 balls in combination with an equally impressive Alex Carey who also scored a century with 107 from 60 balls for the Finch XI (6-229).

Labuschagne is yet to play a T20 match for Australia but gave selectors a timely reminder that he could add the shortest form game to his resume if required.

It followed his breakout summer Test Series against Pakistan and New Zealand and his maiden one-day century against South Africa in March.

He and Carey put on 181 runs for the second wicket. Carey also scored an unbeaten half century in the first game for the Cummins XI before swapping teams for the second game.

Their performances gave the Finch XI back-to-back wins from the final two practice games.

Finch and Matt Wade fired at the top with a 103-run stand in the first game after David Warner was bowled for a golden duck by Ashton Agar. Wade made 50 from 33 and Finch 53 from 37 to set up the total of 8-166. Agar took 3-26 from four overs.

 

[MenInG]

Justin Langer admitted England are a "dangerous" proposition under Eoin Morgan but the Australia head coach is optimistic his side are ready to rise to the challenge when their limited-overs tour starts this week.

Australia may have retained the Ashes last year but their recent white-ball experiences in England have been miserable, starting in 2018 with a 5-0 whitewash defeat when the teams met in a one-day international series.

While Australia beat England in a World Cup warm-up and in the group stage, the tournament hosts had the last laugh in the semi-final with a thumping eight-wicket win en route to a first global 50-over crown.

Morgan has instilled a fearless approach in England's batting and Langer has been in awe of the Irishman while watching the drawn Twenty20 international series against Pakistan in the last few days.

And when asked what he thought of England ahead of the first of three T20s at the Ageas Bowl on Friday, Langer replied: "Dangerous. That's what I made of England - they're dangerous, aren't they?

"I've watched the way Eoin Morgan plays. It's exciting to watch, he just comes out and smacks it from ball one.

"We came here two years ago and got smashed 5-0, we came here last year and won two out of the three games, we just didn't win the big one in the semi-final.

"We know England are dangerous, they're a very good cricket team, they're well led. We know what to expect and we'll be ready for it."

Langer was appointed in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa and his first assignment was the trip to England which saw Australia lose all five ODIs as well as the one-off T20.

He made the mitigating point that Australia were without suspended batting duo David Warner and Steve Smith because of their roles in the Cape Town saga and the rested Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Since then, though, Langer has overseen Australia's rise to the top of the Test and T20 rankings.

Reflecting on the visit two years ago and how they have progressed since, Langer said: "We were at crisis point. We were copping it from everywhere and rightly so. The team had made a terrible error in judgement in South Africa.

"Individually, collectively, we all paid a price for that. My gosh it put hair on their chests though to come to England, young players, to lose 5-0. And probably one more little punch from Mother Cricket.

"Where we've come in two years, we had to earn back respect internationally, we had to make Australians back home proud of us. Hopefully we've done that on and off the cricket field.

"I think we've come a long way. We've still got some exciting times ahead of us, challenging times ahead of us but hopefully we're moving in the right direction."

Marnus Labuschagne has made a late push for selection for the start of the T20 series - after which there will be three ODIs later this month - with a stunning 51-ball century in Tuesday's internal squad warm-up.

Since replacing Smith as a concussion substitute in last year's Ashes, Labuschagne has averaged 86.33 in seven Tests and 50.83 in as many ODIs to firmly cement himself in both sides.

He is yet to represent Australia in the sprint format but Langer acknowledged the 26-year-old has put himself firmly in the frame for a debut later this week.

Langer added: "What a young player, as we know. Who could have guessed his acceleration in improvement?

"We've had a pretty settled T20 side over the last 12 months or so and all we can ask for is that guys bang so hard they are putting pressure on the guys in there.

"Whether Marnus plays this series or not, or certainly the first game on Friday night, time will tell; we haven't decided that yet.

"But he's certainly done, as has always been the way since coming into international cricket, everything he possibly could."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...rous-but-his-side-are-ready-for-the-challenge

 

[MenInG]

Eoin Morgan has said Jos Buttler will continue to open the batting in the T20 series against Australia, in which he considers the touring side slight favourites.

Buttler returns to the white-ball ranks after playing in the England Test bubble all summer, and captain Morgan says he will resume his role at the top of the order that has been his since the summer of 2018 in T20 cricket.

Buttler is considered one of the great 'finishers' of the game in 50-over cricket, but has struck four of his eight T20 half-centuries in just nine innings as an opener.

"Yes, he will [open], with Jonny (Bairstow)," Morgan confirmed ahead of the opening T20I, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.30pm on Friday.

"Like I've said before, we will continue with this until we feel the need that it's not working.

"We feel that Jason (Roy), Jonny and Jos are three of our greatest-ever white-ball players - unbelievable strikers of the ball, batsmen you do not want to bowl against - so if one out of the three of them gets going past the first six overs of the powerplay and into the middle overs, it puts us in a really strong position for the last 14.

"We always pose the question of, 'how do we get the best out of all of our players?', and when you talk about those three guys specifically, it's more obvious with Jonny and Jason batting at the top of the order.

"But, trying to get the best out of Jos, at the moment we feel the more balls he faces, the more influence he can have on the game.

"If it gets to fine-tuning things down the line and that hasn't necessarily worked out, we can always fall back on Jos in the middle order."

Buttler is one of a number of familiar faces back in the England T20 squad to face Australia, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood two more from the 2019 World Cup-winning contingent to return.

However, England are not quite a full strength, with Jason Roy injured and Ben Stokes still unavailable for family reasons as his father battles brain cancer.

Australia, meanwhile, currently ranked the No 1 side in the world in T20 cricket, are at full strength and, therefore, are "just favourites" according to Morgan.

"Probably Australia," he said when asked which team had the edge. "They have their strongest squad here, so will probably be putting out their best XI. So, if you're to go on that, I'd say they're just favourites.

"For the first time this summer we are seeing the majority of our best team on the park and that's great.

"Bar injury and absent players, which is only a couple, we are at full strength and that is a nice place to be every now and then.

"We don't have to pick our best XI every series that we play because we can't put all our eggs in one basket. We need 16 or 17 players in the lead up to World Cup selection all vying for selection in the best 15."

Aaron Finch insists Australia have no scars after last year's World Cup semi-final defeat to England ahead of this summer's white-ball series between the teams.

Morgan's men triumphed by eight wickets after dismissing their rivals for 223 at Edgbaston en route to becoming world champions on home turf in 2019.

"Looking back to that game, we didn't get enough runs. We were three down early with the bat and always chasing our tail," Finch said.

"When you have a quality side, well the best in the world, chasing a small total and with how aggressive they are, you need early wickets and they blew us out of the water.

"It was a tough day but it is a different format and we are not holding any scars over that, I can guarantee that in T20 cricket."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...gland-t20s-against-australia-says-eoin-morgan

 

[The Viper]

ENG vs AUS preview: Labuschagne has to wait for T20 debut, says Finch

Denied a Twenty20 World Cup this year because of the coronavirus outbreak, cricket fans might have the next best thing in the upcoming days.

A series between England and Australia.

They are the top two teams in the T20 world rankings Australia is No. 1 and their fierce sporting rivalry is deep-rooted. They also have some of the most explosive batsmen and fastest bowlers in world cricket.

What more could you ask for?

"I hope it's a preview for the final," Australia captain Aaron Finch said Thursday, referring to the next T20 World Cup that will now take place in India in October-November 2021.

"The England-Australia rivalry is always huge," he added, "regardless of who you are playing in front of and where you are playing. You could play in a street and it would still be there."

England-Australia rivalry in times of Covid-19

This three-match series is taking place at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, starting Friday, and will be special because it is being played without spectators in accordance with Covid-19 restrictions.

Then again, that's nothing new particularly for the English, who have managed to fit in a full international summer of cricket in all formats against the West Indies, Ireland and Pakistan despite the pandemic.

Australia is the latest nation to fly to England and stay in what is termed a "bio-secure bubble," essentially meaning its players have done no more than practice and spend time in a hotel since they arrived 11 days ago.

After a few intra-squad matches, their players are itching for the real thing something they haven't had since mid-March when the scheduled ODI series against New Zealand was abandoned.

"The way the players have hit the ground running has been really exciting," Finch said.

"I know not just me but everyone is just absolutely pumped to be playing international cricket again."

England cricket news

Having won both of their test series against the West Indies and Pakistan England's focus is totally on the white ball now.

A 1-1 draw with Pakistan in a three-match T20 series was a good way to prepare for the Australians, and England will have a stronger squad at its disposal now the likes of Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are out of the test bubble.

The hosts are missing key players in allrounder Ben Stokes, who is unavailable for selection following his return to New Zealand to be with his father who has cancer, and opener Jason Roy, who has a left side strain.

Joe Root, the test captain, has been left out of the T20 squad but is in the ODI squad for the three-match series starting Sept. 11.

One exciting newcomer to the team is Tom Banton, a tall opening batsmen who is a 360-hitter and likes to go on the attack immediately. He scored 71, 20 and 46 in the recent games against Pakistan.

Australia cricket news

Australia has a tried-and-tested T20 lineup that has lifted the team atop the ICC rankings in the format, so batsman Marnus Labuschagne will likely need to wait for his debut despite impressing in both the test and ODI teams over the past year and hitting a century in a warmup game this week.

"We are pretty settled on the way that we structure up our T20 side at the moment," Finch said, in the only selection hint he gave in a pre-match video call.

"He (Labuschagne) played nicely the other day but I think he might have to wait a little bit longer in T20 cricket.

https://wap.business-standard.com/a...-for-t20-debut-says-finch-120090300935_1.html

 

[Hasan123]

There has been a lot of hype and promotion for this series. Hope it lives up to it.

 

[shamaan]

Should be a very good series England to win both odis and t20s

 

[MenInG]

England batsman Jos Buttler left the bio-secure bubble yesterday evening followng the team’s victory over Australia to be with his family.

He will miss England’s final Vitality IT20 against Australia on Tuesday at the Ageas Bowl.

Buttler, subject to testing, will return to the bio-secure bubble on Thursday ahead of the first ODI of the Royal London Series at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday.

 

[MenInG]

ODI Squad Update:

Surrey’s Jason Roy has been added to England’s ODI squad. Yorkshire’s Dawid Malan has been named as a reserve.

Kent’s Joe Denly, who was originally named in the squad as a reserve, has left the bio-secure bubble and returned to Kent.

England Men’s ODI Squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Reserves:

Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Phil Salt (Sussex).

 

[MenInG]

England captain Eoin Morgan and opener Jason Roy are available for the first one-day international against Australia at Emirates Old Trafford.

Morgan missed the final T20 against Australia on Tuesday with a finger injury, while Roy has missed the past six matches because of a side strain.

The first game in the three-match series is on Friday at 13:00 BST.

"Australia are normally one of the best sides in the world and this time is no different," Morgan told BBC Sport.

"It has always been a tough contest over the years, as it should be."

Several of England's World Cup winners have returned to the squad.

Batsman Joe Root and Chris Woakes were not selected for the T20s, while wicketkeeper Jos Buttler is available after missing the final T20 to spend time with his family.

England, who won the T20 series 2-1, have not lost a bilateral ODI series since January 2017.

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Morgan hopes England can gain experience of playing on spinning pitches before the next World Cup, which takes place in India in 2023.

"Old Trafford tends to take a lot more turn than anywhere else in the country," he said.

"It is probably the weakest part of our game - playing on slow, stoppy wickets where the ball turns."

England lost to Australia in the World Cup group stages in 2019 but thrashed them in the semi-finals.

They also dominated during Australia's previous ODI tour in 2018, securing a series whitewash and making a record 481-6 at Trent Bridge.

Australia captain Aaron Finch said: "They've had the wood on us in the recent past, no doubt, and that's fine - we're not looking behind us.

"Any time you play England you can't play at 90%. You have to bat 100% to beat them. We're excited for that challenge."

All three matches in the series are part of the Cricket Super League, which counts towards qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

England v Australia - fixtures, results & reports
England squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Tom Banton, Sam Billings (wk), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. Reserves: Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Phil Salt.

Australia squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/54089815

 

[MenInG]

Australian men's squad to return from UK via South Australia

Cricket Australia expresses its sincere gratitude to the South Australian Government, the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority and the South Australian Cricket Association for confirming accommodation and training arrangements for the Australian men’s squad following the tour of England.

The SA Government has approved CA’s detailed proposal which will entail all players and staff being accommodated at Oval Hotel in Adelaide on their return to Australia.

Players and staff will be permitted to train at the Adelaide Oval during their stay to prepare for the summer ahead.

Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim Chief Executive, said today’s announcement was a significant development in planning for the 2020-21 international season.

“We would like to thank the South Australian Government and the South Australian Cricket Association for approving CA’s proposal for the return of the Australian men’s team,” Hockley said.

“CA is committed to staging a safe and successful summer and today’s agreement with the authorities in South Australia is a positive step towards achieving that.

“The health and safety of the South Australian community is our highest priority and the guiding principle in our planning.

“International travel in the time of a global pandemic presents many challenges, and we deeply appreciate the efforts of everyone in the SA Government, SACA and CA for working through these in a constructive, cooperative manner.

“There is so much to look forward to this summer, and plenty of work going on behind the scenes to ensure that happens. Today’s announcement will allow the Australian men’s squad to safely stay in Adelaide while also maintaining their training loads for the big season ahead.”

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said:

“Cricket Australia and SA Health have both worked hard to make this happen and today’s announcement will pave the way for a massive summer of cricket right here at Adelaide Oval.”

Keith Bradshaw, SACA’s Chief Executive, said:

“We are happy that we are able to assist the Australian men’s cricket team on their return to South Australia and at Adelaide Oval in the Oval Hotel,” Bradshaw said.

“Rest assured we have undergone rigorous procedures with Premier Steven Marshall and the SA Government, to ensure the safety of the public and the players.

“Our hope is that the Oval Hotel can continue to be used in the successful staging of international cricket this season.”

CA remains in productive conversations with state governments regarding arrival and quarantine arrangements for the Indian men’s team, as well as Australian men’s players returning from the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates.

 

[MenInG]

Star Australia batsman Steve Smith remains a doubtful starter for the second ODI against England on Sunday after he copped a head knock during training and will undergo a second concussion test to decide his availability.

Smith was a late withdrawal from Friday’s first ODI, which Australia won by 19 runs to go 1-0 up in the three-match series, after sustaining a blow on the head in the nets from a throw-down by a coaching staff member on the match eve.

The 31-year-old world number one Test batsman is understood to have subsequently undergone a concussion test and was omitted from the first ODI side “as a precautionary measure.”

“He got a knock on the head in practice. It’s a precautionary measure to leave him out,” Australia limited-overs captain Aaron Finch had said.

A spokesperson for the Australia team confirmed Smith would undergo a further assessment on Saturday before any decision is made about his availability for the second ODI on Sunday afternoon.

He was also infamously felled by a Jofra Archer bouncer at Lord’s during last year’s Ashes. That knock caused him to miss the second innings of that Test and the following match as well.

There is also doubt over left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc’s availability for the second match of the series after having experienced some groin pain on Friday. He managed to complete his 10 overs after slipping on the field but will be assessed over the next 24 hours.

“He’s a little bit sore but we’ll see how he pulls up and go from there,” Josh Hazlewood said.

Australia is in with a chance to claim a bilateral ODI series win over England for the first time since 2015 and end the recent dominance by Eoin Morgan’s men in 50-over cricket. England has won 11 of its past 14 encounters against Australia.

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...injury-update-sports-news/article32586694.ece

 

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Steve Smith has passed a second assessment this morning following a head knock in the nets leading into the first game of the Royal London ODI Series last night. Smith also passed his first assessment on Friday. He will continue to be monitored prior to tomorrow’s second game of the Series.

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc suffered some minor upper leg soreness after slipping in the outfield and will be given up until the second match to recover.

 

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Dawid Malan left the bio-secure bubble last night and will resume playing for Yorkshire.