Australia’s Test stars welcome exiled batsman Cameron Bancroft
As Australia’s much-maligned batsmen sought help from above, a man who craved to be in their shoes emerged from the wilderness with an ambition to challenge Marcus Harris for an Ashes berth.
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As Australia’s much-maligned batsmen sought help from above, a man who craved to be in their shoes emerged from the wilderness.
A drone flew overhead at Australian training in Perth but nothing turned heads quicker than the sight of ball-tampering villain Cameron Bancroft shaking hands with former teammates as he moved past the Australian balcony en route to a training session for the Perth Scorchers.
There may be reported tension between David Warner and some of the current team but the warm handshakes from Test players on the players balcony hinted there was no resentment against the man who did the deed that plunged Australian cricket in chaos.
Bancroft will return to cricket on December 30 for the Scorchers in the Big Bash game against the Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston.
If he can show form, he will be pitted into a showdown with his former West Australian opening teammate Marcus Harris for a berth on next year’s Ashes tour.
It will be a challenging choice for head coach and selector Justin Langer who has been a key mentor to both 26-year-olds who are friends and former West Australian opening teammates.
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“I have got a really good relationship with Bangers,’’ Harris said.
“We get along really well. Opposites in personality - it was a ying and yang sort of thing. Bangers is the most intense man in the world and I was a bit more chilled out. But it worked really well.
“He is back at the end of December and he said he would shave that beard off. I am looking forward to that.
“I am hoping he goes really well. He was one of the first blokes to text me (when I made Test debut).’’
The use of a drone at training came after banned captain Steve Smith experimented with the concept on the ill-fated South African tour last season.
Originally published as Australia’s Test stars welcome exiled batsman Cameron Bancroft
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