Player guide: Aus A squads convene in Brisbane

With Australia's World Cup campaign well underway in the UK, a host of the country's finest players have begun a pre-tour camp at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. 

Test skipper Tim Paine will lead the red-ball brigade and Redbacks skipper Travis Head is in charge of the white-ball group, with nine players taking part in both legs of the tour.

With the camp underway from today (Monday), here is where each player is at:

Peter Handscomb | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: March 31, Aus v Pak (ODI)

Handscomb was squeezed out of Australia's World Cup squad by the returns of Steve Smith and David Warner, and the Victorian has made the most of his time off since, getting married to partner Sarah in April and enjoying the month of May away from the game. The right-hander played the New Year's Test against India but was axed for the Sri Lanka series that followed. He found his groove in the ODI set-up in India, making a maiden hundred, and today's hit in Brisbane was against the white ball, where he spent an extended period facing the pace of Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott. Later, he donned the wicketkeeping pads and did a light workout. At one point through the session, he looked to be offering some words of advice to young state teammate Will Pucovski.

Josh Hazlewood | Four-day & one-day squads  

Most recent top-level match: January 3, Aus v Ind (Test)

Hazlewood is pushing full fitness again as he sets his sights on the Ashes. The tall right-armer was a close call for the World Cup squad (and ultimately missed out due to a lack of match practice) but has only been on the improve since. Today's nets session was more evidence of that, as he steamed in for a lengthy session off the long run, working up some proper heat and a decent sweat in the process. Australia A's one-day games looked to be his focus today given he worked exclusively with the white ball.

Travis Head | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: March 20, SA v Vic (Shield)

Something of a forgotten man in Australia's limited-overs set-up, Head will skipper the one-day squad for the UK tour with the confidence that comes from a double of 161 and 59no in his most recent Test. The South Australian sent down some off-breaks before going into the nets to face the white ball, while his impressive moustache was perhaps the best of the facial hair on show among the Aussie A squad. 

Image Id: 930053CFD74642B3B7A20CFEA226172A Image Caption: Head practicing his off-spin // Cricket Network

Mitch Marsh | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: March 20, WA v Qld (Shield)

Marsh has been doing personal bests with skin folds at Western Australia as he bids to make a comeback to the international scene. The strapping allrounder also went under seven minutes across the standard 2km time trial that states use to measure base fitness. On day one in Brisbane, he had a solid white-ball session, first padding up to share a net with Michael Neser, then bowling off his normal run-up. 

Michael Neser | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: May 8, Aus XI v NZ XI (WC warm-up)

After a brief taste of international cricket last year in the UK, Neser followed that up with another strong domestic summer. He was in Brisbane last month for the Aussies' World Cup warm-ups, and played in the second match, sharing the new ball with Mitchell Starc and taking 0-62 from eight overs. Neser spent most of a two-hour afternoon session toiling away with the white ball, while he also spent some time with bat in hand. 

Kurtis Patterson | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: March 28, NSW v Vic (Shield final)

Patterson's breakout summer was highlighted by a maiden Test hundred and the tall left-hander arrives in Brisbane as an incumbent in Baggy Green. With such a significant gap between the Sri Lanka series and the Ashes however, as well as the returns of Smith and Warner, the 26-year-old will be desperate to restate his claims ahead of the opening Test on August 1. In today's net session, he faced the white ball only shared a net with Head, before engaging in some catching practice. 

Will Pucovski | Four-day & one-day squads

Most recent top-level match: March 28, Vic v NSW (Shield final)

A Test squad member, a Shield final, a 21st birthday and some time out of the game for mental health reasons … it was a dramatic summer for Pucovski, who many believe could still bolt into Australia's top six for the upcoming Ashes. The stocky right-hander has landed in Brisbane and was immediately given a thorough white-ball workout, partnering Handscomb in the nets as the two dealt with Hazlewood and Abbott. 

Jackson Bird | Four-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 20, Tas v NSW (Shield)

Bird came to the National Cricket Centre early with the specific intention on reacquainting himself intimately with the Dukes ball. The Tasmanian has been toiling under the Brisbane sun for weeks now and, ahead of a week of action with this Australia A camp, already looks well conditioned for a long program of first-class cricket. With Hazlewood already suggesting a rotation of fast bowlers through a packed five-Test schedule was a near-certainty, Bird appears a strong chance of a Test recall at some point. 

Marcus Harris | Four-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 28, Vic v NSW (Shield final)

Harris didn't quite nail his Test spot in the summer gone but his Shield form was irresistible, and when reflecting on his summer last month, the aggressive leftie said the lengthy campaign left him "knackered". Today he shared a net with Test captain Tim Paine, with Jackson Bird, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland and Jon Holland sending down the Dukes ball on a lively practice wicket. Afterward, he was deep in conversation with assistant coach and former Test batsman Chris Rogers. 

Jon Holland | Four-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 28, Vic v NSW (Shield final)

Holland has become accustomed to owning the on-again, off-again tag of 'Nathan Lyon's Test back-up' but the left-armer remains a high-quality finger-spin option in his own right, as his three five-wicket hauls in last summer's Sheffield Shield attests. The 32-year-old is in Brisbane with a focus on red-ball cricket and tested out Paine and state teammate Harris in the nets for a lengthy afternoon session today.

Tim Paine | Four-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 20, Tas v NSW (Shield)

Test skipper Paine faces the monumental task of becoming the first Australia captain to win the Ashes in England since Steve Waugh in 2001, and the Tasmanian won plenty more admirers with his gritty, spirited displays across a roller-coaster home summer. Now in Brisbane as captain of the four-day Australia A squad, Paine today joined Marcus Harris in the nets to face the Dukes ball from Tremain, Boland, Bird and Holland. 

Chris Tremain | Four-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 28, Vic v NSW (Shield final)

Tremain collected another 45 Shield wickets last summer, at 22.42, to again find himself on the fringes of higher honours. The right-arm quick has been working in Brisbane for a couple of weeks now and today he sent the Dukes down to Harris and Paine, who were given quite the workout. 

Ashton Agar | One-day squad

Most recent top-level match: January 9, Sco v Sta (BBL)

Agar has endured a difficult period through injury and selection omissions across the past nine months, with his summer limited to one Shield match and seven Big Bash games. The left-armer spinning allrounder underwent finger surgery and looks to have bounced back strongly. Last month he was a senior figure at Cricket Australia's spin camp, which was conducted in Brisbane under new spin coach Craig Howard. Today he sent down some of his left-arm orthodox spin with the white ball before padding up and exhibiting his effortless, free-swinging style with the bat.  

D'Arcy Short | One-day squad

Most recent top-level match: March 20, WA v Qld (Shield)

A year ago Short was viewed as a probable World Cup selection but despite another outstanding Big Bash campaign, the destructive opener couldn't nail a spot in Australia's ODI side. The left-hander remains one of Australia's finest hitters however, and he was at it again against the white ball in the nets today. With the ball, he sent down a few overs of his left-arm wrist spin as he targets Australia A's early one-day games. 

Sean Abbott | One-day squad

Most recent top-level match: May 8, Aus XI v NZ XI (WC warm-up)

Abbott had a superb Sheffield Shield campaign and collected the Steve Waugh medal as NSW's best player, ultimately earning a call-up to this Australia A squad for the one-day leg of the UK tour. The right-armer was in Brisbane last month for the World Cup warm-ups against New Zealand, and returned ahead of this camp to put in some more work. He was tireless on Monday bowling with the white ball in the nets alongside Hazlewood. 

Image Id: 684CF558932B4C15BA5A7AE9D0742ABE Image Caption: Sean Abbott has been impressive in Brisbane // Cricket Network

Andrew Tye | One-day squad

Most recent top-level match: May 5, Pun v Che (IPL)

Even though he remains high on the T20 pecking order, Tye has fallen from ODI favour under national coach Justin Langer and was a late call-up to the Australia A white-ball squad as a replacement for Kane Richardson (who replaced Jhye Richardson in the World Cup squad). Tye spent the two-hour afternoon session bowling with the white ball, while he also had a brief hit. 

And then there was…

Recovering quick Jhye Richardson bowled gently off a few paces with the red ball. The right-armer will likely fly to the UK later than the rest of the Australia A squads, and a best-case scenario appears to be him taking part in the Australia A v Australia match on July 23-26. Paceman James Pattinson is in England, currently playing a County Championship match with Nottinghamshire. Tassie wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is absent from this week's camp as he awaits the birth of his child, while Ashton Turner, who was originally selected in the one-day squad, has instead undergone shoulder surgery. Victoria quick Scott Boland is also in Brisbane, and has been training with the likes of Tremain, Bird and Abbott.  

Australia A tour of the UK

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A v Northamptonshire, The County Ground, Northamptonshire

June 23: Australia A v Derbyshire, County Ground, Derby

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, New Road, Worcester

June 30: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

July 2: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A v Sussex, Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel

July 13-16: Australia A v England Lions, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Ageas Bowl, Hampshire