'Bazball' not far from Aussies' gaze amid WTC Final prep

Perhaps fittingly on a morning that more closely resembled South Island New Zealand in June than the official dawn of the English summer, Daniel Vettori found himself fielding questions about an upcoming duel with his former Black Caps teammate-turned Ashes rival, Brendon McCullum.

Despite currently residing in the same city – Vettori with the Australia squad as they prepare for next week's World Test Championship final against India at The Oval in south London, McCullum overseeing England's one-off Test against Ireland at Lord's – the pair are yet to meet up.

But that will change by the middle of this month when the teams head for the British midlands and the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston starting June 16, when the long-time friends line up on opposite sides of cricket's oldest rivalry.

"We try and stay in touch," Vettori said today prior to Australia's major pre-WTC Final training session at Kent's county ground at Beckenham, where the morning temperature hovered around an icy 10C.

"He is obviously busy man, so am I.

Image Id: 0D514B21ED9F434BA6A5E7AE275981C2 Image Caption: Australia train at Beckenham south of London on Thursday // ICC via Getty

"But it will be nice to catch up with him and see him throughout the (Ashes) series."

It's a measure of 21st century cricket's truly global nature that the pair who played together in 62 Tests and almost 230 limited-overs internationals for New Zealand between 2002 and 2014 are now pivotal figures in matches that do not involve their native country.

Vettori has forged a strong relationship with Australia men's team coach Andrew McDonald as bowling mentor to spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy, while McCullum has famously recast the way Test cricket is played and perceived since taking on the England job last year.

That his former Black Caps teammate – who played under Vettori's leadership for three years before being elevated to the NZ Test captaincy himself in 2013 – has reinvented the game in his own unbridled 'Bazball' image is scarcely a revelation to Vettori.

The pair were central figures in several key moments during their respective captaincy tenures that led the Black Caps to re-evaluate the manner in which they played the game, and the legacy they looked to create.

That evolution was realised in Vettori's 113th and final Test appearance, against Pakistan in Sharjah, when – in the immediate aftermath of Phillip Hughes's death – McCullum spanked a double-century from just 188 balls and dedicated the innings to his fallen fellow Test opener.

It was the realisation in the wake of such unimaginable tragedy that cricket was a game to be embraced and enjoyed, because it was clearly not a matter of life and death, that has led to the 'Bazball' philosophy now being enacted by England under the leadership of McCullum and NZ-born skipper Ben Stokes.

Irrespective of the style, they (England) are playing winning cricket and that's the thing everyone gravitates towards," Vettori said today.

"The fact they've played so well over an extended period of time is what's so impressive.

"Like Andrew (McDonald), Brendon (McCullum) wouldn't want the attention to be about himself – it's just that he's got this (Bazball) moniker going now.

"That's Brendon since he came out of the womb, he's pretty positive."

Image Id: 3D0529F8D20D4532A61F4C91EE0582D4 Image Caption: Smith hits up in the nets at Beckenham ahead of the WTC Final // ICC via Getty

While the focus during today's six-hour hit-out at Beckenham – a training session that took the place of the now redundant warm-up match – was squarely on the WTC Final against India starting next Wednesday, Vettori concedes the Ashes is never far from the Australia squad's consciousness.

As Australia's top-order batters prepared to face the pace threat posed by India's Mohammad Shami and Mohammad Siraj as well as the potential for a dual spin attack of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, world filtered through of England's bowling exploits at Lord's.

Given the impact he wielded with the new ball four years ago, Stuart Broad's three wickets in the opening hour against Ireland served not-so-subtle notice of the menace he will again pose and was likely a discussion point during today's break for lunch.

Image Id: 1CF901DB2866470781D88D886A0CFDDB Image Caption: Star allrounder Cameron Green has joined the group after the IPL // ICC via Getty

But Vettori admits it's the unknowns such as debutant England seamer Josh Tongue that will likely attract even greater attention from the Australia players and brains trust during breaks from their current training schedule, and in the few days that separate the WTC Final from the Ashes.

"Everyone will keep a close eye on the Irish Test," he said. "Any team you're coming up against, you want to get an eye on them.

"There's some new players that some of our guys haven’t seen before, including the likes of Josh Tongue.

"That will be of some interest for everyone in the group. But I think there is a real excitement that we have the ability to play one of the best teams in the world (India) in such a crucial game.

"That should suit us well for the Ashes series as well.

"Six Test matches of high intensity, I don't think you could ask for anything more."

While Australia's preparation for the WTC Final took shape around 20km from Lord's on a semi-rural field ringed by rustic post-and-rail fences, India's warm-up unfolded even further away on the grounds of Arundel Castle near England's south coast.

The teams will get their first look at The Oval and the pitch that awaits for such an unseasonably early fixture – the historic ground has never before hosted a Test starting before the first week in July – when training shifts to London next Monday.

And for all the talk of 'Bazball' and how that might lend a new visage to the Test game's oldest contest, Vettori and his new team are pondering more immediate matters such as whether the early summer conditions might lend themselves to spin bowling despite today's Arctic chill.

"We have been debating that," he said.

"I think Jadeja will play because of the batting he brings to the table, and how successful he has been at that number six position.

"And then the question will be around that fourth seamer and the allrounder in (Shardul) Thakur and Ashwin.

"They are pretty good choices. Ashwin is an incredible bowler, and he will be first choice in most teams and just with their combinations it may lead to that.

"We expect The Oval to behave how it always behaves.

"It is a good wicket, but it can offer a lot to the spinners as the game goes on."

2023 Qantas Tour of the UK

World Test Championship Final: Wednesday June 7-Sunday June 11, The Oval

First Test: Friday June 16-Tuesday June 20, Edgbaston

Second Test: Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2, Lord’s

Third Test: Thursday July 6-Monday July 10, Headingley

Fourth Test: Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner