Dre-Russ, Qais to fully integrate with Stars' teammates

After two games of air high-fives and personal changerooms, prized international recruits Andre Russell and Qais Ahmad will join the rest of the Melbourne Stars players, coaches and officials from today.

Due to Cricket Australia's COVID-19 protocols, Russell and Ahmad were instructed to keep two metres clear of other players where possible during their four-day integration period.

They were also required to use different changerooms and dugouts to teammates and had to catch a separate flight to Sydney for the return clash against the Thunder last night.

The unusual measures led to strange scenes when Afghanistan spinner Qais took his two wickets on Sunday night with teammates resorting to congratulating him with air high-fives and a clapping circle after he bowled Matt Gilkes.

Qais and Russell seemed more comfortable with the COVID measures on last night as they both starred in the six-wicket win over the Thunder at Sydney Showground Stadium.

Qais took 2-17 off his four overs, which included the wicket of English star Sam Billings, and while Russell (0-38) was again expensive, he then blasted 42 not out from 21 balls, which included five massive sixes, to get the Stars home with 17 balls to spare.

Both international recruits will be integrated into the Melbourne Stars bubble today.

"I told the boys save the celebrations, save the hugs for tomorrow," Russell said on Sunday after his player-of-the-match performance.

"It's going to be good to be around the guys – Glenn (Maxwell), (Adam) Zampa, (Marcus) Stoinis and the other guys they have been good to me as well, so some big hugs coming up.

"It's good to contribute tonight, the boys have been treating me good – social distancing – but I've been having fun."

Russell said the plan was to travel on Monday and practice with the team on Tuesday for the first time ahead of their clash with reigning champions the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday at the MCG.

"Definitely I'm going to be in the changing room with the guys, so I think everything is going to flow naturally," he said.

"Just being around the guys, being in the same nets, doing the same thing at the same time, that's going to feel normal.

"Warming up by myself, me and Qais, it's a bit of a pain, travelling by ourselves, at the end of the day I'm happy to be here and happy to be a part of BBL and making sure we're still playing."

The 33-year-old allrounder said he was also thankful for the opportunity to bat a little earlier on Sunday.

"Over the years I've been batting the last two or three overs and I know I'm a better batter than that," Russell said.

"What I do in the back end not everyone can do so I don't mind giving the guys an opportunity to bat earlier so they can capitalise – if I face one ball or five balls, I just want to do my best for the team."

Russell has three matches remaining in his five-game KFC BBL|11 stint with the Stars, while Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf will also join the squad from December 27.

Melbourne Stars squad: Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (England), Brody Couch (replacement for Billy Stanlake), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ahmad Daniyal (Pakistan), Sam Elliott, Syed Faridoun (Pakistan), Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchcliffe, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill (replacement for Seb Gotch), Tom O’Connell, Sam Rainbird, Haris Rauf (Pakistan), Andre Russell (West Indies), Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa

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