Players may feel underdone, but we are relieved cricket is on the horizon, says Ashleigh Gardner ahead of AUS-NZ series

Australia will return to international cricket after a gap of more than six months when they host New Zealand for six matches - three T20Is and three ODIs - starting on September 26. Australia last played a competitive match when they faced India in the historic T20 World Cup final at MCG.



Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner admitted that there would be plenty of nerves within the team ahead of the series as they return to the game without any competitive cricket under their belts.



"A lot of players will feel a bit underdone without match practice before an international series. Personally, there'll be plenty of nerves, there won't be a player who doesn't have some,” Gardner told ESPNcricinfo.  “We've just got to back our ability and know what we've been able to achieve in the past.”



“But there is huge relief that cricket is on the horizon. It feels like we've had the longest pre-season in history; we are all pretty sick of just training and nothing else. It's exciting that games are so close, both the internationals and the WBBL."



The series was originally scheduled to be held across four cities, but owing to the restrictions that are in place due to COVID-19 pandemic Cricket Australia (CA), on August 29, announced that Allan Border Field in Brisbane will host all the matches.



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Gardner, a New South Wales-based player, decided to move in with Australia wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy to start the preparations for the series.



"It's been a different lead-in to any other tour. We made the decision it would be too hard for them (family members) to be on the same regime I was and not being able to go and do things, so I moved in with Alyssa which has been cool,” she said. “It's very different to what we are used but we leave on Sunday (to Brisbane), so things are all starting to get pretty real."



Gardner, along with the other NSW players in the 18-member Australia squad, has been training as a separate group ahead of the series under a restrictive environment.



"It's not the most ideal lead-in to a tour but everyone is in the same boat and we've tried to make the most of the facilities and people we have," Gardner said.



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There have been apprehensions about the bio-secure bubble and how the players will adapt to it. The players will have the access to the nets during their quarantine period and training will be conducted with all the social distancing protocols in place.



Gardner, who has played 71 matches for Australia, feels even though the restrictions and protocols will bring their own challenges, the players will have to be sensible and smart to get through it.



"It will be challenging but it will be nice to see some new and familiar faces even if it is from a distance. Will be nice to change the environment and scenery from what we've had in the last four months. It's about being sensible and smart, doing the right things," she added.



"Meg Lanning has sorted two coffee machines to be flown up to Brisbane, one on each floor for the first quarantine. Someone will have to look after that because think most of us are pretty useless," Gardner said on a lighter note.