Aussie young guns ready for England

Australia's bid for an unprecedented sixth World Cup took a small but key step forward yesterday at the unlikely setting of a leafy green private school ground south of London.

Official activities on Australia's Qantas Tour of the UK started Sunday on the pristine outfield of the Whitgift School in Croydon, about an hour south of Central London.

While England's Test cricketers were some 400km north in Leeds putting the finishing touches on their first win in nine months, a new-look Australia ODI squad was put through their paces as the school's resident peacocks frollicked in the neighbouring gardens.

The Australians, who were beaten by England 4-1 in an ODI series at home last summer, are far from full strength. Not only are the suspended David Warner and Steve Smith absent, but bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, as well as allrounder Mitchell Marsh, are all out with various injuries.

That's left Kane Richardson, with 15 ODI appearances, as Australia's most experienced seamer in the format.

The Australians arrived refreshed, relaxed and undaunted by the prospect of facing the world's No.1 ranked ODI outfit on their home turf 12 months, almost to the day, before their Cup campaign begins. They had spent the past three days touring battlefields, war graves and memorials in Belgium and France, monuments that mark Australia's efforts on the Western Front in the First World War.

Captain Tim Paine said there was "so much we can take away from it, individually as well as as a group". 

"As a group coming over to England now to play cricket – we're obviously not going to war – but the importance of things we can take from the men who came over so long ago is the teamwork and the mateship and the hard work and the things they did for each other," Paine said.

"We're very lucky to be here playing a game of cricket."

New coach Justin Langer orchestrated an intense intra-squad match, building on the work the squad did at Brisbane's Bupa National Cricket Centre before departure, setting various game scenarios and conditions that upped the ante far above a standard net session.

Image Id: AAF530759C1C490BB413288A184BF773 Image Caption: The pavilion at Whitgift School // cricket.com.au

Drawing conclusions from training drills is fraught with danger, but there were perhaps some clues lurking as Richardson and Billy Stanlake took the new ball against Aaron Finch and D'Arcy Short.

AJ Tye, fresh from finishing the IPL as the competition's leading wicket-taker, bowled first change while Ashton Agar came on with his spinners ahead of Nathan Lyon.

Alex Carey started the innings at second slip with Paine in the gloves, before moving to midwicket when the powerplay scenario ended.

Travis Head came in at three ahead of Shaun Marsh, and the pair put on a handy partnership . Marcus Stoinis and Tim Paine came in for hits while Maxwell – who had been bowling – batted at No.7.

On a dry pitch that offered little for the quicks, Agar, Maxwell and Short all claimed wickets before uncapped quick Michael Neser had  Marsh chopping on.

Finch loosened the shoulders early against Tye, hitting a six and two fours in the one over, and had a battle against Agar, clubbing one six before being bowled.

Maxwell deceived Head to claim a juggling caught-and-bowled chance, then cracked several powerful boundaries with straight drives and pull shots. National Selection Panel chairman Trevor Hohns, standing as the square leg umpire, had to take evasive action.

Short also made the most of an extended stay at the crease while Stoinis cashed in late in the day with a brutal fifty that included several big hits onto the Nottingham Road that had nearby residents scrambling to move their vehicles.

The crack of willow drew a smattering of spectators to the grassy banks under the ancient oak trees as the Aussies unleashed in their late-over scenarios.

The Australians have two practice matches against county teams – a day-night affair against the Jason Gillespie-coached Susex on Thursday, and on Saturday at Lord's, venue for the World Cup final, where they face Middlesex, before the first ODI against England on June 13 at The Oval.

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Monday, July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

Tuesday, July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Wednesday, July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Thursday, July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

Friday, July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 8: Final