Warner, Wade launch Seam Bowlers' Club

A rogue bowling group dubbed the Seam Bowlers’ Club has emerged as a rival to the Fast Bowlers’ Cartel on the eve of the first Test at the Gabba.

Founded by vice-captain David Warner and wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade, the SBC took over the latter stages of Australia’s training session in Brisbane on Tuesday night.

Footage has emerged of Warner and Wade teaming up with pink ball in hand and targeting members of the long-standing FBC (also known as the Fast Bowlers’ Union), which is headed by chairman Mitchell Starc.

The vision of the SBC session concludes with Wade, who has a maiden over in Test cricket to his name, bowling recent FBC inductee Chadd Sayers, much to the joy of Warner and on-looker and suspected sympathiser Usman Khawaja.

A video posted by cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) on Dec 14, 2016 at 2:04am PST

However, FBC chairman Starc was seemingly not impressed by what went down in the Gabba nets, commenting on an Instagram post of the video, condemning the overzealous appealing of Warner and Wade and making it clear the two seam bowlers were in no way associated with the FBC.

Imagine Hoff and I carried on like these two in a net session!!! Dear me... #notFBC, Starc commented.

Within minutes, Warner made his intentions clear with his own comment, declaring the identity of the opposing bowling entity while using three choice emojis to spark the fire between the two outfits.

@matthewwade13 that's bowling in partnerships smurf, we got em boy. #seambowlersclub 👏👍💪, said Warner.

Starc was quick to point out that neither Warner nor Wade had dismissed Australia’s new-ball duo, who are set to unleash on Pakistan in Brisbane’s first-ever day-night Test starting today.

@davidwarner31 @matthewwade13 still couldn't get the real opening bowlers out boys... plenty of noise, no wickets... hahaha, said Starc.

Warner rolling his arm over in the day-night Test against South Africa // Getty

It’s not the first time the FBC has come under attack this year.

In the absence of Starc and Hazlewood during the limited-overs tour to South Africa, fringe FBC member Mitchell Marsh became the self-appointed chairman after consulting his senior peers.

Upon hearing the news of Marsh’s promotion from rank outsider to the group’s figurehead, Starc denied having ever taken a call from the allrounder.

The tension between Marsh and the FBC reached boiling point ahead of the first Test of the summer in Perth when Marsh opted to take part in a gym session with the squad’s batsmen instead of the bowlers.

Despite the controversial decision to abandon his quick-bowling colleagues, Marsh explained the reasons behind the choice (he needed heavier weights and more room to throw them around) and made it clear that he was in fact the glue that held the FBC together.

Marsh falls out with Fast Bowlers' Union

The main issue with Marsh’s FBC eligibility, besides his allrounder status, is his inability to consistently generate the mandated 140kph bowling speeds that is necessary for all members.

While Marsh continues to push for full-time membership, Starc has awarded uncapped seamer Sayers' entry into the FBC despite the South Australian’s lack of velocity.

(He's in a) sub-section - wickets taken," Starc said on Sunday.

We'll put him in the group (Fast Bowlers’ Cartel) before Mitch Marsh – he's an allrounder so there's little consideration for allrounders - but Chadd's taken a hell of a lot of wickets in the past couple of seasons.

So he's straight in the cartel."

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