Meg Lanning thrilled at the prospect of returning to the field

A group of Australian players travelled to Brisbane on Sunday (September 6) as side prepare to return to cricket after a gap of more than six months as they host New Zealand for six matches – three T20Is and three ODIs – beginning on September 26. Allan Border Field in Brisbane will host all the matches.



The squad's Victoria and New South Wales-based players and staff made their way to Brisbane, and will now go into two weeks of quarantine as part of the bio-secure protocols. Among the group were Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland (all Victoria), Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Erin Burns and Maitlan Brown. The remaining players of the 18-member squad will join them on September 21.



Lanning, who last played a competitive cricket match when Australia defeated India at the MCG in the final of the T20 World Cup, is looking forward to getting back to play some cricket.



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"Yeah, we're really looking forward to it. Obviously, we're very lucky to be able to still play some cricket,” Lanning said in a press conference held at Essendon airport ahead of her departure to Brisbane. “I know all the girls heading up there are looking forward to it too.”



“There's obviously a lot of precautions and things in place to keep us all safe. But yeah, we're all good so far and looking forward to getting up to Brissy.”



Lanning, who has played 188 international matches, admitted all the precautions and quarantine measures have made the build up to the series a bit different even as she and her teammates are looking forward to the series.



“Yes, absolutely very strange. Even just driving here to the airport in the car - very quiet roads, nobody around, and obviously Essendon Airport instead of the normal Melbourne,” she said.



“So, yeah, it's very different. And it's just such strange times, I guess. But like I said, we're very fortunate to be in this position and everyone's looking forward to getting back on the field."



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The entire Australian team will be confined to their little bubble in Brisbane for the entirety of the series, and Lanning said that the squad will make sure to keep themselves entertained throughout.



“We've already sort of said it could get a bit out of hand at a few points," she laughed. To be honest, we're sort of used to it. We've been practicing here in Melbourne with Stage 4 restrictions, so it's not too different."



“But we're lucky we get to go out and train each each day. So we'll certainly be making the most of that. But yeah, there'll be a few activities going on in the hotel trying to keep us sane,” she concluded.



New Zealand are scheduled to travel to Brisbane on September 9. They too will be required to undergo two weeks of quarantine, but will be allowed to use the practice facilities at the Allan Border field during that period.