BANBURY have wished their former player and now Australia captain Tim Paine all the best for the Ashes – but are hoping he will be on the losing team.
The first Test gets underway at Edgbaston at 11am, with England looking to reclaim the urn.
Paine, who played 17 games for Home Counties Premier League side Banbury in 2015, scoring 1,031 runs, including five centuries, helped Australia win the 2017-18 series.
Steve Smith’s ban over his involvement in a ball tampering incident saw the wicket-keeper/batsman named captain of the Baggy Greens last year.
And there will be plenty of interest from former teammates at Banbury as the 34-year-old skippers Australia in an Ashes test for the first time in England today.
“Yeah, we’ll definitely be following it,” said Lloyd Sabin, who captains the north Oxfordshire side’s first team and played alongside Paine.
“We’re obviously hoping England win.
“But we’re hoping Painey does well, just hopefully not too well.”
- Tim Paine in action for Banbury in 2015 Picture: Kirsty Edmonds
Banbury have enjoyed some national publicity in recent weeks, welcoming the Sky cameras to White Post Road.
Sabin added: “They did a preview for the game and a few of us were on Sky Sports News discussing Tim Paine.
“I’m guessing they might to do some kind of documentary during the lunch interval as well.”
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