Team barbecue a boost for morale

IT WAS the barbecue that helped break the longest drought in Australian cricket history. As the walls caved in on the game from all angles, players gathered at Travis Head’s house in Adelaide for a quiet beer and a bet on Melbourne Cup day.

D’Arcy Short won the sweep with Cross Counter, fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood rounded out the trifecta and Ashton Agar got his money back on the horse that ran last.

Head’s abode provided a an environment to break the ice and get away from the turmoil.

“Heady invited us around to his place. It was a great afternoon to get away from cricket and just enjoy each other’s company,” Australian one-day captain Aaron Finch said.

“We had a couple of quiet beers, a barbecue and just watched the Cup. The importance of it is to be able to free your mind up from cricket.”