Cricket WAGs put wars behind them, with new focus on happy First XI families
The Wives and Girlfriends of the First XI have not always gotten along, leading to tension within the team, but the latest generation seem to be getting along well as they make the most of their time in Europe.
David Warner was on dad duty, wandering around London’s city centre with his new baby Isla as the Australian cricket team welcomed families ahead of the second Test.
The opening batsman was spotted waltzing through Oxford Circus after spending almost an hour inside the Nike store with his wife Candice on the corner of Regent Street in London.
One of the world’s greatest shopping strips was the perfect place for the new mum who wanted a bit of a break after a busy month without Warner while he was playing for Australia in the World Cup and the First Test of the Ashes.
For some in the Australian team, it was the first time they had stayed with their families in months.
Captain Tim Paine was spotted heading into an upmarket food store with his wife Bonnie and daughter Milla.
James Pattinson ditched the pram and put his baby daughter Lilah on his shoulders as he walked down a west London high street.
His wife Kayla laughed and waved at Lilah as they enjoyed the family break.
Pat Cummins spent time in one of London’s famous parks with his wife Rebecca Boston.
The harmony among the families and wives and girlfriends has been matched with the success on the field in the first Test.
Nathan Lyon’s girlfriend Emma McCarthy has been welcomed into the Australian cricket WAGs club with open arms, as a new era of friendship sweeps across the group.
The Australian team’s partners are now travelling on European holidays together away from the cricket and catching up at fancy London hotels for afternoon tea.
The harmony is in stark contrast to previous WAG wars which almost led to blows in the dressing room.
McCarthy was spotted at The Ivy in Birmingham celebrating with Pat Cummins’ wife Rebecca Boston after the come-from-behind win against England last week.
“Bloody legend @emm_mccarthy #welldoneboys #ashes #wewillcelebrateforyou,” she posted alongside emojis of champagne bottles.
The Australian team has this week relaxed the rules with players’ partners allowed to stay with them in London.
Some players had not seen their families for almost three months as the gruelling World Cup and Ashes schedules created a long English summer.
Lyon, 31, and McCarthy, 27, were enjoying the break as they were spotted wandering the streets of London this week.
Lyon said when asked if he was loving his time in London: “Yes, it’s going well.”
And when asked if he was looking forward to the second Test, which starts on Wednesday night Australian time, he added: “It’s all good.”
McCarthy, wearing a black singlet, straight jeans and $A1200 Christian Dior slingback heels, looked relaxed as the couple wandered around west London.
The couple had earlier ridden bikes around Kensington Gardens, which is also home to Kensington Palace where Prince William and Kate live with their three children.
They later posted an Instagram story at a restaurant with the caption “Date Night.”
McCarthy has been dating Lyon for more than 18 months after he split with his former partner Melissa Waring, with whom he shares two children.
She told News Corp in March last year shortly after Lyon and McCarthy’s relationship was revealed that she was hurt.
Lyon’s camp had insisted at the time that the relationship with McCarthy started after he split with Waring.
The bumpy start has been overlooked as McCarthy, from Perth, has become part of the cricket family on tour.
Dani Willis, Steve Smith’s wife, has been out for afternoon tea at The Landmark in London with Amy Finch, wife of one day captain Aaron, and Eloise Carey, wife of one-day wicket keeper Alex.
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Rachel Khawaja, wife of batsman Usman, went on a Spanish holiday with Amy Finch in June.
And she has been photographed at the cricket at Lord’s hanging out with Candice Warner’s daughters.
Meanwhile, Matthew Wade was due to catch up with his wife Julia, who gave birth to their second child Goldie in June.
He had to leave for the tour just days after the birth, with Australia’s World Cup campaign keeping players away for several months.
The Australian cricket team has been plagued by previous WAG battles.
Former wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist opened up a can of worms when he revealed the WAG war at the 2005 Ashes in his autobiography.
“It was apparent, when the guys returned to the hotel from Lord’s, that some personality clashes had disrupted relations between wives and players,” Gilchrist wrote in his book, True Colours.
“A guy would go out to dinner with his partner and hear bad things about someone else’s partner.
“You could be sure that the same was happening somewhere else, in reverse. So it ended up that some of the guys were suffering from their divided loyalties.”
Simon Katich has previously denied that his infamous 2009 changeroom blow up with Michael Clarke was over his attachment to then-fiancee Lara Bingle.
The 2019 Ashes WAGs club looks happy and settled, just like the team which takes a 1-0 lead into this week’s match.
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