It's just not cricket: Australia's official World Cup portraits are revealed - but some are bordering on the bizarre
- Photographer Ryan Pierse has released a set of portraits of the 2019 Australian Cricket World Cup team
- Pierse is currently the chief photographer for Getty Images and his sports photography is world renowned
- The team is set to travel to England in preparation for the World Cup matches to begin at the end of May
- Among the team are Steve Smith and David Warner who have just finished serving 12 months suspensions
Gnawing on bats, throwing bails into the air and tugging manically at their shirts - these are the official portraits of Australia's World Cup cricket squad.
The pictures were taken by world renowned sports photographer Ryan Pierse at a training camp for the team in Brisbane this week.
All the players are featured in the portraits including team captain Aaron Finch and returning players Steve Smith and David Warner - who are back in action after serving their suspensions for ball tampering.

Hungry for success? Glenn Maxwell was photographed eating a bat during the portrait session on May 07, 2019 in Brisbane

Easy tiger! Adam Zampa looks ready for a fight in this official portrait ahead Australia's World Cup campaign

Mind the splinters! Aaron Finch (pictured) will captain the Australian team when they play in the World Cup in England in May, June and July this year
Mr Pierse is currently the chief photographer for Getty Images, having joined the organisation in 2004.
He spent some time in the organisation's London office before returning to Sydney where he is now based.
His major photographic interests are sports, portraits, fashion, and music.
The series of quirky portraits capture the Australian team in seemingly unguarded and relaxed moments.
A sense of determination, however, is clearly evident in the images from a team still out to prove itself following the 2017 South Africa test.

Returning from a 12 month suspension to the team is former captain Steve Smith

Pat Cummins looks highly uncomfortable his portrait as he tugs his shirt away from his chest and grimaces at the same time
In that test Australian players were caught using sandpaper to tamper with a ball.
The scandal resulted in then captain Steve Smith and vice captain David Warner receiving 12 months suspensions.
Junior member Cameron Bancroft was also slammed with a nine month suspension from the game.
The team has struggled to recover since.

Also returning to the team is David Warner (pictured) who has finished serving a 12 month suspension for the sandpaper scandal

Fast bowler Kane Richardson is hoping to cement his place in the Australian international team despite his nonchalant expression in this snap
Players will travel to Turkey next Friday to visit Gallipoli before continuing on to England to prepare for the tournament.
The 2019 Cricket World Cup will be held in England and Wales from May 30 until July 14.
It features teams from 10 nations that are considered the best in the world in one day cricket.
Along with the host nation, England, who automatically receives a spot, the seven other highest ranking nations in One Day International rankings as of September 20 2017 are included.

Pakistan born cricketer Usman Khawaja shows off his necklace in his official portrait. He is the first Muslim to represent Australia in international cricket

Nathan Lyon tosses a couple of bails while posing for photographer Ryan Pierse at a training camp for the team in Brisbane this week
Those nations are, in order of the current rankings, India, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
The remaining two spots are decided by the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Those two spots went to the West Indies and, interestingly, to battle scarred Afghanistan who beat the West Indies in the final.
The tournament is a round-robin event with each team playing the other teams and receiving points for a win, loss or draw.
Semi finals will then be played between the highest four teams in the standings before the final is played on July 14 at the famous Lord's cricket ground.
All the matches will be shown in Australia on Fox Sports.
Australia's matches and the finals will also be shown on the Nine Network.

The Australian team has been struggling to recover after the 2017 South Africa test where players were involved in a ball tampering scandal (pictured; David Warner)

Marcus Stoinis is out to prove himself in the World Cup squad as a recent addition to the team

Mitchell Starc was declared Man of the Tournament in the 2015 Cricket World Cup after prominently helping Australia to victory
I think they are fun.
by stephenjjj2