5 days Ago By Aaron Kirby
Australia’s Test cricket stars have jubilantly reunited in Perth ahead of their blockbuster series against India. After touching down in Perth late on Sunday, the Australian squad took their first steps on the WACA ground, where they had a practice session on Monday morning. It’s the first time the squad has been together since February’s tour of New Zealand, and the joy in the air was palpable.
There were plenty of jokes being cracked as the first team members started a light warm-up with Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, who arrived ahead of the main squad last week, settling in. Travis Head gave the whole team a laugh as he entered the playing field for their welcome-back meeting wearing his batting helmet, only to hand it to Test debutant Nathan McSweeney to signal he now had short-leg/bat-pad duties. While Starc and Usman Khawaja caught up, Smith threw peace signs as he and Marnus Labuschagne soaked in the early morning sun during a warm-up lap.
Labuschagne was one of the first to welcome McSweeney as the squad broke up into groups for fielding practice, with McSweeney joining the slips corden in his first session with the team. Khawaja, Smith, McSweeney, Labuschagne and keeper Alex Carey shared plenty of back slaps and banter as they did their best to capture the balls slapped their way by national coach Andrew McDonald. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins eased into things through boundary fielding before warming up to bowl on the fresh centre wicket.
Smith and Khawaja were given the first taste of the big three and Lyon before McSweeney joined the pair. Balls and bails alike were flying as Khawaja left his second ball from Starc, which sent his bails arcing into the sky. However, he wasn’t so kind to Lyon, planting the off-spinner onto the roof of the western stand before hitting his next ball 10 rows back.
After a cautious start, Smith also joined the six-hitting shinanigans and even took the attack to Starc. But the big left-armer had the last laugh, drawing a big inside edge that would have found the keeper had there been one. McSweeney finished with a four off Starc after a near-hour-long session.
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