Finch, Cummins pick their Aussie teams

Captain Aaron Finch and his deputy Pat Cummins will today pick their respective sides for the first intra-squad practice match of Australia's white-ball UK tour.

The 50-overs-per-side affair on Friday in Hampshire will precede three T20 practice games ahead of Australia's T20I series opener against England on September 4 at Southampton's Rose Bowl.

Finch and Cummins will have 19 of their compatriots to choose from for the contest, with a player from Hampshire's County Championship side set to be included to complete the two sides.

The Australians appear very much on the back foot when compared to England in terms of preparation, with the hosts having played an ODI series against Ireland and Test campaigns against West Indies and Pakistan in recent months.

"In the warm-up games, first off it's about getting a bit of rust out," Finch said today from Australia's training base in Derby. "We haven't played a competitive game in about five months, so I know guys will be feeling their way back into playing competitive cricket.

"So we have to understand that, but also, as long as we keep improving and making sure that every opportunity we get to play and perform, we're learning from that.

"Coming off such a long layoff, it's going to be really important for us to get together as a group again and have a real high-intensity, competitive hit-out.

"It's been a long time sitting at home, especially (for those of us) from Melbourne, and a little bit from Sydney, just to get outside again and train and play is going to be great."

The Australians arrived in England on Monday to bright sunshine and were even treated to some golf practice on the outfield of Derby's cricket ground, with the curator rolling out some mats to allow the squad some relaxation time in the summer sun.

Such luxury has since been curtailed, with incessant rain dampening proceedings but not the Australians' spirits.

"It's been pretty good to be honest," Finch said of the bio-bubble in which the Australians will be based until Thursday's bus trip to Southampton. "There's plenty for the boys to do in the games room and stuff like that.

"We're only two days in but it's been really good.

"There's a really good indoor centre here at Derby, and I know at Hampshire there's a great indoor facility as well. So we're going to have a lot of bases covered for all scenarios.

"No doubt, for however long COVID is around it'll face challenges at different points but at the moment everyone is just super pumped to be here.

"(Being competitive from the outset with England) just comes down to our professionalism and our preparation … by having really intense training sessions and intense practice games, we're going to give ourselves every opportunity to be up to international speed.

"(England have) played some great one-day cricket … since the 2015 World Cup they've been the standout with the way they've played and the way they've stuck to their game plan.

"They've been ultra-aggressive, so it's going to be a really good series hopefully."

2020 Tour of England

Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

England squad: TBC

August 23: Fly from Perth to UK

Australia will play three T20 and one 50-over intra-squad practice games

September 4: 1st T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 5

September 6: 2nd T20, Southampton, 11pm AEST

September 8: 3rd T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 9

September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST

September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST