Let the games begin

After a short camp in June, the Australia squad came together for one last time recently before the India tour and the start of our summer. Fitness testing (always a favourite), team-building and plenty of cricket were just a few things in the agenda for the camp.

One of the talking points from the four-day camp was the team-building exercise we all took part in on the Sunday. Let's just say we have all had the experience of being shot at from short range; shooting someone from short range, and storming a house as if we were undertaking a raid. Needless to say we are not quite ready for the real deal just yet!

This was the last full squad camp before the Indian team arrives in late October. After a solid pre-season, all the girls are looking forward to plenty of cricket and a busy summer ahead.

A media training session was also on the agenda at the camp. While the media aren't exactly hassling us 24/7, it is fair to say that more and more of the girls are getting requests for interviews and other public appearances.

Ed Kavalee from Australian radio station Nova FM recently stated on the air that he could make 100 against the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars.

Emma Sampson, Ellyse Perry and Lisa Sthalekar were involved in the on-air banter that occurred in the lead-up to an actual game where Ed came off second best.

Thankfully he never scored 100, and even wore a few bruises courtesy of some short-pitched deliveries from Emma.

Although Ed was suggesting that we were not up to the task, it was all in good fun, and he created some public interest in the challenge that ensued and gave us some exposure on a popular radio station. Hopefully we will see women's cricket get some more media coverage in the lead-up the ICC World Cup in March 2009.