Paine and Wade to join Canes

Test returns leave Sixers to sweat on Starc

MITCHELL Starc will go for a scan on his hamstring but is still an outside chance to light up the BBL finals, as Australian captain Tim Paine knocked back the chance for a mental and physical rest.

Paine and Matthew Wade are on their way to join up with the Hobart Hurricanes squad, despite just coming off the most arduous Test series of their careers. Starc will have a routine scan on the hamstring niggle he picked up on day four at the Gabba, but there is confidence the soreness is minor.

The Australian left-armer signed with the Sydney Sixers at the start of the summer and still hasn’t ruled out coming in as the ultimate BBL x-factor for the business end of the season.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon appears unlikely to line up for the Sixers after his tough campaign and will instead opt for a freshen-up before the team heads to South Africa for three Tests next month.

Paine admitted on Tuesday night that he had entered uncharted waters as Australian skipper, as he faced harsh scrutiny on his position for the first time since appointed captain.

Despite the strain of that, Paine has decided the best way to deal with the pressure is to keep playing through and the BBL may offer a welcome distraction, with the Hurricanes currently in fifth place.

Paine hasn’t played the BBL for a couple of seasons, and barely played any cricket last year due to COVID-19.

The Australian players were released from quarantine in Brisbane on Thursday and were permitted to fly home, despite uncertainty which lingered right up to the start of the Brisbane he was

Test over whether or not they’d have to serve out a full two weeks in their Brisbane hotel.

Sixers stars Moises Henriques and Sean Abbott have flown straight into Melbourne to be ready for Sydney’s Sunday fixture against Paine, Wade and Hobart at the MCG.

Travis Head and Michael Neser have flown to Adelaide to link up with the Strikers, while Mitchell Swepson will play for the Brisbane Heat.

However, Australian frontline stars Steve Smith, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will all skip the Big Bash League, having been in an ongoing bubble since late August when the team first flew to the UK.

After a limited-overs series in England, an IPL in Dubai, and then a full Australian summer, the players will have just over a month before they fly to another tight bubble in COVID-hit South Africa.

With the exception of Starc’s hamstring scan, there doesn’t appear to be any other major injury concerns for Australia.

Although Warner (groin) and Will Pucovski (shoulder) still have plenty of rehabilitation to do before they’re back to 100 per cent fitness.