Australia are joined by F1 star and compatriot Oscar Piastri at Lord's

Australia are joined by F1 star and compatriot Oscar Piastri as they continue preparations for second Ashes Test at Lord’s

  • Oscar Piastri joined Australia at their net session at Lord’s on Saturday
  • The F1 driver faced deliveries from Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc
  • Piastri then bowled an over to batsman Marnus Labuschagne 

Australia’s preparation for the second Ashes Test involved a visit from Formula One driver Oscar Piastri at Lord’s.

The Australian, who races for McLaren, used Nathan Lyon’s cricket gear for a net session during the tourists training session on Monday.

He he faced deliveries from Lyon and Mitchell Starc, albeit at a reduced pace before Piastri himself bowled an over to Marnus Labuschagne.

After one forward defence, Lyon joked: ‘He’s (Piastri) almost got a better defence than a Pom. Am I allowed to say that?

The Australian spinner took eight wickets in the tourists win in the first Ashes test, with three of them coming as stumpings with England’s attacking style and he play his 100th consecutive Test for Australia this week.

Pat Cummins (L) of Australia and David Warner (C) of Australia speak to Oscar Piastri (R)

Piastri joined his compatriots as they continued preparations for the second Test

With the Austrian GP this weekend, Piastri won’t be in attendance at Lord’s.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope insists his side will not change their attacking style of play after suffering defeat in the first Test.

‘I know sometimes it can look like it’s just moments of madness but all the decisions that are made are well thought out with a vision of the end goal,’ he said.

‘These decisions aren’t just a rash thought. They are well thought out and spoken about by senior players in the changing room.

He he faced deliveries from Lyon and Starc before Piastri bowling at Marnus Labuschagne

‘We come to a group decision and back that decision 100 per cent. There’s no looking back on that decision once it’s made, it’s about how we can make the most of it.

We might find ourselves in a similar situation this week, who knows? That’s what Stokesy and Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) are very good at, they read conditions very well.

‘We’ll talk consistently throughout this Test match, (about) if there’s a decision like the first day at Edgbaston when we pulled out.

‘If we feel there are overheads one evening and we might have a half-hour opportunity to get a few wickets and get into their middle order early the next day, then we’ll talk about it.’

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