First Aussies arrive in Brisbane ahead of NZ series

Masks, a charter flight and quarantine are part of the ‘new normal’ being embraced by the first Australian players to arrive in Brisbane ahead of this month’s limited-overs series against New Zealand.

Australia captain Meg Lanning and her five Victorian teammates – Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Molly Strano and Annabel Sutherland – touched down in the Queensland capital on Sunday afternoon, where they will commence a two-week period in hotel quarantine.

Also arriving in Brisbane were a five-player cohort of New South Wales and ACT players – Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner, Erin Burns and Maitlan Brown – who will also spend two weeks in isolation.

For Lanning, it was a world away from the travel arrangements during Australia’s most recent campaign, the T20 World Cup in February and March.

Masks and physical distancing are now mandatory, and there was no Tullamarine departure for the Victorian group, who took a charter flight from Essendon Airport.

"We’re very lucky to be still able to play some cricket and all the girls heading up there are looking forward to it," Lanning said on Sunday.

"There are a lot of precautions in place to keep us safe.

"It’s strange, even just driving here to the airport in the car, very quiet roads and nobody around and Essendon Airport instead of the normal Melbourne.

"Strange times but we’re very fortunate to be in this position."

All 11 players plus staff were subject to ‘stay at home’ rules for two weeks prior to leaving their home states and will be permitted to train in separate groups during their two-week quarantine thanks to strict biosecurity arrangements that allow controlled access to outdoor training nets at Allan Border Field.

"We’re sort of used to it, we’re been practicing here in Melbourne with stage 4 (restrictions), it’s not too different," Lanning said of the upcoming fortnight in quarantine.

"We’re lucky we get to train each day so we’ll be making the most of that."

New Zealand are due to arrive in Brisbane on Wednesday, while the remainder of Australia’s 18-player squad will fly in on September 21, ahead of the first T20I on September 26.

Lanning’s team will be determined to continue their recent dominance over New Zealand, who they last lost to in early 2017.

Australia have claimed six ODI and five T20Is on the bounce against the White Ferns, while they have held the Rose Bowl Trophy – the silverware awarded for one-day series between the teams – since 2000.

They have also won 18 ODIs in a row and have a chance to equal the world record of 21 consecutive ODI wins achieved by Ricky Ponting’s team of 2003.

CommBank T20I and ODI series

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry*, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa *subject to fitness

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jenson, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

All matches to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field, times TBC

September 26: First T20 

September 27: Second T20

September 30: Third T20

October 3: First ODI

October 5: Second ODI

October 7: Third ODI