If the new-look Australian cricket team had any doubts about being on enemy soil, they were dismissed on Thursday.
The England cricket team’s video analyst Gemma Broad spent large chunks of Australia’s time in the field taking footage of the touring side’s attack in the tour opener at Grace Road.
There is little doubt young quick James Pattinson would be of particular attention for the English camp before this month’s one-day series and the Ashes next year.
Not that there was anything subtle about the presence of Stuart Broad’s sister in the gloomy weather.
Dressed in black, she filmed almost every second over of the Leicestershire innings from just in front of the sight screen and captured a batsman’s eye view of proceedings.
England coach Andy Flower is renowned for his meticulous preparations and it was no surprise for the Australian players to have their game scrutinised by the opposition.
Especially as about half of the players on tour have never played a one-day international on English soil.
Dave Warner (74 off 78 balls), who starred with the bat in the 102-run win over Leicestershire, said the team was not bothered.
“First time for some of us playing in England, so they want to a little bit of footage of us,” Warner said.
“But at the end of the day they have to stand at the end of their mark and come in and bowl at us.”
Warner earlier played the key knock in the miserable conditions as the tourists chalked up 8-241 from their 41 overs in the rain-affected encounter.
The powerful left-hander showed he was in good nick by striking three sixes in his innings, clubbing two in one over from the bowling of spinner James Sykes before retiring.
Clint McKay (4-31) enjoyed success with the ball in the home side’s response of 136 from 29.4 overs with the Duckworth-Lewis method needing to be employed.
The match provided almost everything the Australians were looking for in the build-up to the five-match one-day series against England starting June 29 at Lord’s.
All the batsmen received some time in the middle and all the bowlers had the chance to put some overs under their belt in truly English conditions.
The tourists head to Ireland on Friday for Saturday’s international in Belfast before a final warm-up match against Essex on Tuesday.
