ENG v AUS 2020: Marcus Stoinis relieved there won't be any apple attacks in UK this time 

The 31-year-old all-rounder is on his comeback trip for Australia.

By Kashish Chadha - 30 Aug, 2020

While it was Steve Smith and David Warner at the receiving end of worst possible crowd jeering in the UK during last year's World Cup and the Ashes following their return from ball-tampering saga, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has revealed he had an apple thrown at him from a section of the crowd. 

Hence, Stoinis, who hasn't played for Australia since the World Cup semi-final loss to England, is among the selected few glad that there won't be any such incidents during the upcoming limited-overs series because of no crowd presence amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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"We always love playing here (England) regardless," Stoinis told reporters on Saturday (August 29). "The banter is usually pretty good. I did have an apple thrown at me last year but apart from that it's pretty good. It will be a different experience. It will be up to the team to create some energy and run around."

A torrid World Cup tournament where he failed with the bat and had his effectiveness limited with the ball due to a side strain led to Stoinis' downfall in the pecking order. 

But the 31-year-old has forced his way back in the reckoning through magnificent form in the previous winter's Big Bash League (BBL) and is hoping to make amends in Aussie colours. 

"It can be frustrating when you feel like you're results on the board and you don't get rewarded," said Stoinis. "But in the same breath there's probably five, six, seven players who feel the same way. So you don't get too carried away with it, you just keep doing your thing. It's a nice reward to be back."

Stoinis' chances of featuring in Australia's T20I XI in first game of the three-match series, starting September 4, were boosted by a freewheeling knock (21* off 17 balls) in the first intra-squad warm-up fixture on Friday (August 28). 

Australia will also take on the world champions in three ICC Super League ODIs on the tour. 

(Inputs from AFP)

By Kashish Chadha - 30 Aug, 2020

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