Andrew McDonald, the Australia men’s head coach, has said that all options are on the table when it comes to selection for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester – but, with nine days’ break after an intense few weeks that began with winning the World Test Championship final, the first priority is giving the team a breather.
Australia’s players will scatter across the UK and Europe for a few days of rest and recreation: tennis enthusiast Steve Smith heads to Wimbledon, a group of golfers to Scotland, while other destinations include live‑music hub Bristol, the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, and the continental lights of Paris, Amsterdam and Spain. They will return to camp from 14 to 16 July.
