Australian batsman Matthew Wade was delighted to have an opportunity to “blow the cobwebs out” following the long Coronavirus-forced break despite Australia's opening intra-squad match of their tour of England at the Ageas Bowl being abandoned due to rain.
An extended 21-man Australian squad is in England for the three Twenty20 International starting on September 4 in Southampton before three one-day internationals in Manchester from September 11.
Before the T20I series, the tourists are scheduled to play three more intra-squad Twenty20 games at their isolation bubble in Southampton. They played a rain-affected first intra-squad Twenty20 game on Friday (August 28) – Australia’s first cricket match since March due to Coronavirus outbreak.
In a rain-affected first warm-up game in Southampton, Australian openers Aaron Finch (42*), David Warner (40*), and Wade (36*) have all made an impact and found some form with the bat before Southampton's weather ended the intra-squad match with no result.
Rain washed out the game after just 5.5 overs of the second innings of Cummins XI (60 for 0) in reply to the Finch XI's 150 all out with Adam Zampa taking 2-18, Kane Richardson 2-16, Pat Cummins 2-26 and Wade is confident that the bowlers would get enough match practice before the England series starts next week.
Wade said after the warm-up game: “Even though it was 15 or 16 overs (short), it was still nice to just blow the cobwebs away a little bit. The next three or four games will be important for guys to get over in, people to get their runs and put their hands up for selection.”
He added, “It's exciting just to be back on tour and running out there with the boys again, unfortunately, the weather has closed in on us. Everyone has come here in fairly good nick, both physically and with their cricket. So it was a good hit out.”
On the bowlers’ practice, Wade noted: “The bowlers got some overs under their belt and managed to have a little hit. Starcy was certainly flying in so it was nice to get a couple out of the middle. Just to stand in the middle with no nets around you is valuable. They haven't had a lot of match practice, it's all good bowling in the nets but then go and stand in the field is always the hardest part so these matches are vital for us.”
He signed off by saying, “England's great at having hotels on the grounds and we can go out there and access an oval. If we can get a 50-over game and a couple of other T20s, then the bowlers will get a few overs under their belts and we'll be raring to go by the time of the first T20.”
(With AFP Inputs)
