“it’s just getting back that confidence to sidestep and run as hard as I can and dive around again”

David Warner has said he may feel the effects of the groin injury that has interrupted his season for up to nine months but is hopeful that he is getting closer to a return to action.

Warner suffered the injury during the second ODI against India at the end of November and missed the final ODI, the T20Is that followed and the first two Tests. He returned to the side for the Sydney and Brisbane matches when far from fully fit after Australia had patched up their opening pair with an out-of-form Joe Burns and out-of-position Matthew Wade.

He scored 5, 13, 1 and 48 in his four innings before being named in the squad for the now-postponed tour of South Africa, a format where he believes the tempo makes the injury more manageable. It remains to be seen whether he is able to play for New South Wales over the next month before heading to the IPL to join Sunrisers Hyderabad for which he’ll need an NOC from Cricket Australia.

“I am almost back to full 100% sprinting in a straight line. This next week is getting back to fielding, picking up, throwing, very difficult that was [in the] last couple of weeks, even trying to throw,” Warner said during Fox Cricket’s coverage of the first T20I in Christchurch.

Tasmania bowled out for 237 after Stanlake picked up a career-best 4 for 24

Queensland 6 for 238 (Khawaja 93, Ellis 3-39) defeated Tasmania 237 (Silk 77, Stanlake 4-24) by four wickets

A blistering Billy Stanlake spell and another Usman Khawaja masterclass guided Queensland to a four-wicket Marsh Cup win over Tasmania at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

Stanlake took a career-best 4 for 24 ripping through Tasmania’s top four with extreme pace and bounce while Khawaja controlled the chase superbly with a classy 93, following on from his fourth-innings century in the Sheffield Shield clash on Saturday.

Stanlake set the game up after Queensland won the toss. He claimed all four wickets with short balls as Tim Paine, Caleb Jewell, and Mac Wright struggled to control hook and pull shots while Jake Doran gloved one through the keeper. When Marnus Labuschagne ran out Tom Andrews with a direct hit, the Tigers had slumped to 7 for 143 with 17.5 overs left in the innings.

But Jordan Silk came to the rescue continuing the superb form he showed in the BBL. He made 77 from 88 balls to hold the innings together. He put on 53 with Nathan Ellis who contributed 21. Jackson Bird then clubbed 27 from 25 balls to lift the total up to 237. Matt Kuhnemann took 3 for 47 for the Bulls, including the key wicket of Silk.

Khawaja then took charge in the chase. He put on a 53-run opening stand with Sam Heazlett and an 87-run stand with Joe Burns to break the back of the chase. Nathan Ellis returned for the Tigers to cause a few heart murmurs in the Queensland camp. He knocked over Burns and Khawaja in consecutive overs. But Jimmy Peirson steered the visitors home with 14 balls to spare.

Jhye Richardson and Kyle Jamieson, who earned big at the IPL auction, both line up in Christchurch

Australia won the toss and decided to bowl against New Zealand

Australia’s captain Aaron Finch won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat in the first T20 international of a five-match series at Hagley Oval on the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake.

The tourists called up Josh Philippe for his international debut after another strong BBL with the Sydney Sixers, having previously been a part of Australia’s extended squad for white-ball series against India and England last year.

Jhye Richardson is also back for his first T20I in Australian colours since dislocating his shoulder in a one-day series against Pakistan in the UAE prior to the 2019 World Cup.

New Zealand left out Hamish Bennett and Mark Chapman from their XI, which will feature Tim Seifert and Martin Guptill opening the batting with Kane Williamson to come in at No. 3. This will also be Kyle Jamieson’s first meeting with the Australians, after he fetched a hefty price at last week’s IPL auction.

New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tim Seifert (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Devon Conway, 5 Glenn Philipps, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent Boult

Australia 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Josh Philippe, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Daniel Sams, 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Jhye Richardson, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Adam Zampa