Aussies set up Wellington camp to escape NZ cluster

The remainder of Australia's T20 series against New Zealand will be played behind closed doors in Wellington due to Auckland's COVID19 outbreak.

On Monday, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) shifted the fifth and final match of the series, scheduled for Sunday afternoon, from Tauranga to Wellington's Sky Stadium.

They had already moved Thursday's game four to Wellington from Auckland – which is in a second coronavirus lockdown in a month.

New Zealand Cricket said the "change has been forced on NZC because of logistical complications".

Spinner Ashton Agar said given the ongoing health threat, "the right decision has been made".

"They've made sure that they've looked after the players' mental and physical wellbeing and come to the right decision," he said.

Australia's players spent the weekend off in Wellington and resume training on Monday.

New Zealand's squad dispersed over the country during the break and have four Auckland-based players in isolation, awaiting COVID19 test results before resuming training in Wellington.

None of those four – Martin Guptill, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham and Glenn Phillips – have travelled to the affected region in Auckland, and left the city as soon as the latest restrictions were announced.

Cricket Australia is yet to solve another issue – getting the touring party home without the need for a second fortnight of quarantine.

The squad is currently due to fly home from New Zealand from Auckland next Monday.

The outbreak has prompted state governments to designate Auckland as part of the "red zone", meaning anyone that has visited New Zealand's biggest city is ineligible for a quarantine exemption.

Agar said the players had been briefed on the matter by management.

With nine Western Australians in the T20 squad, the situation is particularly tricky with that state's strict border rules.

"We have to just look forward to the games coming up in Wellington, and that's all we can do at this point in time," Agar said.

"That thought (of more quarantine) is never easy. But we have really good support around us, we've got a wonderful psychologist on tour, plenty of resources to help us in that mental health space.

"And we've got each other's' backs as well as a playing group; everyone look after one another really well and there's a lot of empathy there.

"It's not the ideal situation ... no one really likes the thought of quarantine.

"There's a lot of guys who have done up to six weeks of isolation and quarantine, maybe more, and they've got more coming up.

"We have faith in Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket that they have the players' physical and mental health in their best interest."

Agar said he was happy with the shift to Wellington's stadium, known locally as 'The Cake Tin', after playing at Dunedin's tiny University of Otago Oval.

"This ground isn't as short and straight so that's always nice ... to have a longer boundary straight down the wicket is beautiful," he said.

Losses in Christchurch and Dunedin last week has Australia 2-0 down in the series, needing to win all three matches to claim victory.

Australia's spin twins Agar and Adam Zampa have gone for a combined 1-113 from 12 overs in the first two games.

"Playing on a fast outfield and a small ground, you can't expect to go at six or seven an over," Agar said.

"We just have to adapt, that art of being unpredictable as a T20 spinner, and maybe we have to work on that a little bit.

"And just remaining positive; you can't hide away, you've got to get yourself in the game as much as possible and really fire up in that competition.

"Taking it to them as much as they're taking it to us is really important."

Qantas T20I tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, *Martin Guptill (pending fitness test), Kyle Jamieson, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee. *Finn Allen (on stand-by for Guptill)

1st T20: New Zealand won by 53 runs

2nd T20: New Zealand won by four runs

3rd T20: March 3, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 5pm AEDT

4th T20: March 5, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 5pm AEDT

5th T20: March 7, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo