Openers fire before rain cuts short warm-up game

Openers Aaron Finch, David Warner and Matthew Wade all made an impact with the bat before Southampton's weather ended any chance of a result in Australia's opening intra-squad match of their tour of England.

FULL SCORECARD: Finch XI v Cummins XI

Rain stopped play after 5.5 overs of the second innings of the T20 game with the Pat Cummins XI 0-60 in response to the Aaron Finch XI's total of 150 from their 20 overs.

It was the first match of any kind the Australians have played since the cricket world was shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Australians will look to play a a pair T20s on Sunday and have pencilled in another practice game next week before their six-match white-ball series against England starts early in the morning of September 5 (AEST).

Wade (36 not out from 18 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (21no from 17) had given the Cummins XI a strong start in their run chase after Finch (40 from 29) and Warner (42 from 35) had earlier put on 75 for the first wicket.

For the Cummins XI, spin duo Adam Zampa (2-18 from three overs) and Ashton Agar (1-18 from three) continued their good form from recent T20s together, while Cummins (2-26 from three) and Kane Richardson (2-26 from three) both took two wickets each.

The Finch XI had appeared on track for a sizeable total after Finch and Warner gave them a quick start and WA pair Josh Philippe (20 from 16) and Mitchell Marsh (23 from 18) both got themselves in.

But the Finch XI lost their last eight wickets for just 38 runs to be all out for 150 from the final ball of the innings.

Australia's extended 21-man squad for this tour is heavy on bowlers, meaning both sides will have quite long batting tails in these warm-up matches.

Despite the match being washed out, Wade said playing in the middle for the first time in more than five months was crucial ahead of the first T20 against England next week.

"Just to stand out in the middle with no nets around you is valuable," he said.

"Especially for the bowlers, they obviously haven't had a lot of match practice … so these matches are vital for us.

"I'm sure if we can get a 50-over game in and a couple more T20s, the bowlers will have plenty of work under their belts and we'll be raring to go by the time the first T20 comes around."

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

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

September 6: 2nd T20, Southampton, 11.15pm 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