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The Australian cricket workforce departed Sunday for a tour to England like no different within the lengthy historical past between the 2 nations.
The groups will meet in three one-day and three Twenty20 internationals in stadiums with out fans, performed beneath strict biosecurity protocols. Between matches the Australians might be locked in a airtight bubble to keep at bay the specter of the coronavirus.
They are the primary Australian nationwide sports activities workforce to go away the nation for the reason that world pandemic started.
Australia hasn’t performed a match since March 13, when a scheduled one-day collection in opposition to New Zealand was deserted. As captain Steve Smith left Sydney on Sunday for Perth, from which the Australian workforce’s chartered flight was to go away for London, he stated he’s keen to play once more, regardless of the surrounding circumstances.
Smith was additionally unhappy that stadiums received’t be filled with the England fans who’ve all the time jeered him previously, moreso since his suspension for ball tampering.
“I do like batting there,” Smith stated at Sydney Airport. “But unfortunately there’s no crowd there to egg me on and give me a bit more motivation.
“Still, there is going to be plenty of eyes on the TV and it is going to be great to be back out there playing.”
England fans taunted Smith relentlessly when he made his take a look at return there final yr after his 12 months suspension over the ball tampering scandal in South Africa. He drew on these reactions to publish 774 runs in that yr’s Ashes collection at a mean of 110.
Smith stated he isn’t involved by Australia’s three months absence from worldwide cricket and England’s benefit in having performed current take a look at collection in opposition to the West Indies and Pakistan.
Australia will take a 21-man squad and can play at the least 5 inter-squad matches throughout its two weeks in quarantine. The workforce might be headquartered at Southampton the place it is going to be surrounded by a decent biosecurity bubble.
Players might be in a position to play golf however will be unable to go away their lodge for drinks or meals. They could have to make their very own beds to keep away from interplay with lodge employees.
Any biosecurity breach might jeopardize the collection.
The first of three T20s might be performed at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Sept. four and the one-day collection might be performed at Old Trafford, Manchester, beginning Sept. 10.
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