Australia reveal fielding plan for returning Smith

Express Tribune

a day ago

Australia are set to be reinforced by Steve Smith's return to their top order but may miss his reassuring presence in the slip cordon in the second test against West Indies in Grenada this week.
Smith missed Australia's victory in the series opener in Bridgetown with a dislocated finger in his right hand, an injury suffered during the World Test Championship final against South Africa last month.
The 36-year-old has reunited with the squad at the National Cricket Stadium and is likely to replace Josh Inglis, who managed five and 12 batting at number four in Bridgetown, in the second test beginning on Thursday.
"Anytime you add 10,000 runs back into the line-up, you're going to be pretty happy with it," Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey said of Smith's impending return after their training on Tuesday.
"He seems pretty confident, so he's excited to get back in.
"It's been tough at the top of the order, so to add a little bit more experience is good for the group, but I think they've (been) doing a pretty good job as well."
Australia were all out for 180 in the first innings in the opening test and were 65-4 in the second before fifties by Travis Head, Beau Webster and Carey propped them up. Smith did some catching practice but ESPNcricinfo reported he would not take his usual position in the slip cordon.
West Indies have a bigger headache with their slip cordon having spilled seven catches in the opening match to let Australia off the hook.
"I think the biggest thing is we shot ourselves in the foot," West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said.
"You cannot drop seven catches against the world's number one team and expect to compete."
Sammy moves on
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said he has put the recent umpiring controversy behind him and holds no ill will toward Adrian Holdstock, the TV umpire during the first Test in Barbados.
Sammy was fined 15 percent of his match fee and received a demerit point from the ICC after publicly criticising Holdstock's decisions during the Barbados Test, particularly in relation to dismissals involving Roston Chase and Shai Hope.
Speaking to the media in Grenada, Sammy had also raised concerns stemming from the team's recent tour of England.
"I said I wouldn't want my players to do that press conference because of the kinds of questions they would have faced. I strongly believed in what I said," Sammy said. "We've had further chats with the officials. They've clarified some stuff. There has been some admission of error as well. That was Barbados — we're now in Grenada, so we've left that behind," he said.