T20 Aussies want to get ball rolling

Australia’s Twenty20 outfit want to do what the Test team can’t: give the nation some momentum entering the home summer of cricket.

Australia’s T20 squad flew into Adelaide on Saturday ahead of Wednesday’s fixture against South Africa – the first of three T20 games against the Proteas.

As their Test comrades continue to struggle against Pakistan, the short-form specialists pledged to give Australia some impetus for the home calendar.

“It’s very important,” allrounder Ben Cutting told reporters at Adelaide Airport on Saturday.

“Obviously the Test boys are playing at the moment and having a bit of a tough time over there in those conditions.

“So for us to try and bring the focus back now on home soil and start with a win, get the ball rolling for them when they get back next week, is a big thing for us.”

Wednesday’s Adelaide Oval fixture will be followed by T20 tussles against the South Africans in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney two days later.

Cutting, who has played three T20 internationals, will be a key component of the Australian side with both ball and bat.

“Getting back in the Australian colours and playing some Twenty20 cricket against pretty good opposition is pretty exciting,” he said.

“I’m feeling pretty good with the ball, the results probably haven’t shown that through the (domestic one-day) cup, but the ball is coming out nicely and with a little bit more on it this year than there was last year.

“The crowd wants to come and see big hits and big sixes and not many wickets fall. So from that perspective it’s about trying to contain them and do the best you can, a bit of damage control.

“You tend to go for a few runs with the ball and you can try and make that up with the bat for the good of the team. I do enjoy getting out there and batting just as much as I enjoy bowling.”

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