For a fleeting moment there was the potential of a dream Big Bash League encounter. But once the reality kicked in, it always seemed like a long shot.
After the Australian Test side’s humiliation of England within three days at the SCG, thoughts turned to Wednesday’s Twenty20 clash between Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat, club sides that feature five of the team that won the Ashes 5-0.
However, of the Heat’s Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris, and the Thunder’s Michael Clarke and David Warner, only Warner was a remote possibility of playing in the match at ANZ Stadium.
After some initial discussions between Thunder management and Cricket Australia, national coach Darren Lehmann and team performance manager Pat Howard are believed to have felt it best to let him rest in preparation for the one-day series, which starts in Melbourne on Sunday.
In fact, that series has claimed another of the Thunder’s players, with Englishman Eoin Morgan departing, though his absence will be softened somewhat by the return of Usman Khawaja, who has recovered from a hamstring strain.
The Thunder will be bolstered, too, by the inclusion of Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis, the holder of the best two bowling figures in Twenty20 internationals. In September 2012, the tricky spinner took 6-8 against Zimbabwe, beating his previous record-breaking best of 6-16 against Australia at Pallekele in August 2011.
Mendis, who arrived in Sydney two days ago and will feature against the Heat, matched his reputation for mysterious deliveries by giving away little at a press call at ANZ Stadium on Tuesday.
A man with a big smile but few words, Mendis, 28, said: “I like to play here because the people, they are good teammates, good players. My teammate [Tillakaratne] Dilshan is also playing. I think we can do something.”
Asked if it was hard to come into a team on a 17-match losing streak, he said: “I know the streak. We try to do a good match tomorrow, hopefully win. I try to do my best for Thunder. We’ll see tomorrow.”
Upon the signing of Mendis last month, coach Chandika Hathurusinghe described it as a “major boost for the Thunder because he provides both experience and an element of mystery to the bowling line-up”.
Mendis has played 17 Tests for Sri Lanka, 66 50-over internationals and 34 Twenty20 internationals.
Gates will open at 4.30pm for the match, with the final of the inaugural Thunder Nation Cup to be played as a curtain raiser to the main event.
The eight-a-side competition was staged throughout November and December, with the winning team from each community day getting to represent their heritage in a mini-world cup. Teams in the play-offs included Afghanistan, Lebanon, India and an Indigenous team. The top two teams, to play in the final, were South Africa and Sri Lanka. All participants have been invited to participate in a flag ceremony as part of the curtain raiser.