Aaron Finch back training with Victoria, Greg Shipperd says Phillip Hughes death has galvanised Bushrangers

AARON Finch was so close to Phillip Hughes that he was a pallbearer. But he’s wasted no time getting back where his mate would’ve wanted him.

Victorian cricket training at the MCG. Bushrangers Aaron Finch

AARON Finch was so close to Phillip Hughes that he was a pallbearer at the funeral, feeling the pain perhaps more than most.

But Finch has wasted no time getting back where his mate would have wanted him — at the crease with a bat in his hand.

When the Victorian Bushrangers resumed training on Friday, Finch was the first batsman into the nets and will take his place in the team for the Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia, which starts in Perth on Tuesday.

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While the two state teams for which Hughes played, NSW and South Australia, pondered whether to go back to work on schedule, it was pretty much business as usual for the Victorians, although coach Greg Shipperd watched closely for any signs of lingering emotional turmoil.

Shipperd has been through this before. He was assistant coach when head coach David Hookes died in a violent incident outside a Melbourne pub a decade ago, which unsettled the cricket community in a comparable way, if not on quite the same global scale, as Hughes’ death has done.

Victorian Bushrangers star Aaron Finch was the first batsman to hit the nets at training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Shipperd said he saw then “that galvanising of spirit, attitude and purpose” that enabled the Bushrangers to deal with their grief and go on to win the Shield, which they dedicated to their popular leader. Such events often have that effect, he said, and could do so for the Australian and South Australian teams.

The Victorians gathered in the MCG outdoor nets at 9am on Friday, with a bunch of passing schoolkids adding a little extra atmosphere as the players warmed up by kicking a soccer ball around before being addressed by Shipperd and then picking up bats and balls.

The plentiful banter was an encouraging sign spirits were as high as could be expected.

Asked if he was OK as he headed for his net, Finch said he was feeling fine.

After a few gentle sighters, John Hastings armed himself with a new ball, as did some of the other pacemen, and the pace and pressure intensified.

There was no ban on bouncers but they were delivered sparingly, and it remains to be seen how individual bowlers will deal with this dilemma in the heat of battle.

Shipperd acknowledged the ethics of short, fast bowling was now a conversation many people wanted to have and that it would be a difficult decision for the bowlers.

But he added: “I’m sure whatever happens will be in the spirit of the game ... and the game will move on.”

Victorian Bushrangers coach Greg Shipperd comforts wicket-keeper Matthew Wade. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

No, he wouldn’t ban the bouncer. It would shift the balance too far in favour of the batsman — a view already expressed by just about anyone who knows anything about the game.

It is still a little early to be certain everybody selected will want to play and anyone who doesn’t will be readily excused.

“Emotions are tricky things,” Shipperd said. “They surface at different times for different people.

“We are looking forward to competition starting again and getting over this difficult week. It will be really healthy for our group.

Victorian Bushrangers coach Greg Shipperd says his team is looking forward to returning to competitive cricket. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“It is about relaxing and doing your best, that’s the key. Hopefully some people will play really well and others, as cricket is, are going to struggle and get nicked off early and people will ask if emotion is behind that.

“Cricket is a tricky game like that.

“We’ll just encourage our group to give it their best shot and we will understand that not everyone is in their best mental state.”

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