Australian head coach Andrew McDonald as among the support staff members who took field for Australia in their warm-up fixture against Namibia. | Photo Credit: AP
Short of players, a nine-man Australia needed as many as four support staff members on the field, including chief selector and head coach, in their T20 World Cup warm-up against Namibia but that did not change the expected outcome of the game.
Australia won the game by seven wickets with impressive performances from David Warner (54 not out off 21 balls), fit again Josh Hazlewood (2/5) and leg-spinner Adam Zampa (3/25). They chased down Namibia’s 119 with 10 overs to spare.
With the likes of Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell given extra time at home following the two-month long IPL, chief selector and former captain George Bailey and head coach Andrew McDonald were among the support staff who were forced to take the field.
46-year-old fielding coach Andre Borovec also took the field alongside Bailey when skipper Mitchell Marsh opted to bowl against Namibia.
When Marsh and Hazlewood went back to the dressing room, McDonald and 49-year-old batting coach Brad Hodge had to step on the field.
Hazlewood, playing hist first game in three months, looked in good rhythm.
“Obviously, we didn’t have a full quota of players but the guys who played, probably a few of us needed to coming off a big layoff,” Hazlewood told cricket.com.au after the game on Tuesday.
“I know a number of the bowlers were coming off a long break which is pretty unusual in our system, but it’s good to get out there, playing is always different to training.
“The wicket looked a little bit tough early, a little bit slow, which is probably what we’re going to encounter here in the West Indies.
“So a nice hit out, got the result and we move onto the West Indies in a few days.”
Australia Test and ODI skipper Cummins, Head and Starc were part of the IPL final played in Chennai on Sunday.
