The Paine blueprint ready for Test tour

TIM Paine says the blueprint outlining the way forward for Australian cricket teams is complete as the squad departs for a two-Test tour of the United Arab Emirates.

Paine joined the squad in Brisbane last night after the birth of his son last week and said the team had all but finalised a cultural charter composed in response to March’s ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Reports into the culture of Cricket Australia’s head office as well as the team itself have begun after the scandal that resulted in captain Steve Smith being suspended, along with deputy David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. The player charter, designed to ensure such scandals never happen again, is linked to those reports and Paine is confident the team can now prepare for Pakistan with clarity of mind.

It will be officially rolled out ahead of the Australian summer, but Paine said the playing group and new coach Justin Langer had put the finishes touches on the document in camp on Tuesday night.

“It’s about our actions as a team, not what we talk about,” he said. “The Australian way has always been to ... play hard and fair and that’ll be no different this series.

“There’s always a lot of eyes on the Australian cricket team wherever we play and this team is really clear on what’s expected and our standards and we’ll uphold them.”

The wicketkeeper will again extend an invitation to his opposite number to shake hands before the first Test but said there was no danger of his side becoming too nice.

“Potentially, if they want to, it’s a nice way to start the series, good show of sportsmanship, but by no means does it mean we’ll be taking it easy on them,” Paine said.

“We’re going there to win.”