Steve Smith faces a fitness test before the Cape Town decider.
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Smith Fitness Test
Australia’s hopes of winning the series in Cape Town will rest on Steve Smith passing his fitness test. A neck injury has raised questions about the batting order, and the outcome will play a key role in who is picked for the series decider at Newlands.
Background
Smith struggled with the injury in the last Test at Gqeberha. Australia cannot afford to gamble with their most experienced batter in such a crucial situation. As such, Smith is returning to play very carefully. On Sunday he batted for 15 minutes with a very light session. He faced sidearm throws from batting coach Michael Di Venuto and batted without a helmet.
What do we know?
- Smith is battling with a neck injury.
- After the light hit, Smith will play a full net session. The medical team will decide.
- Head coach Andrew McDonald is optimistic but cautious. “We’d like to see him come through with some pretty significant progression.”
- Cape Town is the third and decider Test against South Africa.
Insight
If Smith is unavailable, then it will be an immediate blow, but it would also resolve any debate. Marnus Labuschagne, who has been under the microscope at number three, would almost certainly retain his spot.
Chair of selectors George Bailey has publicly supported Labuschagne. While recognising that Labuschagne often gets stuck in the 30s and does not always capitalise on his starts, he likes his ability to play under pressure and face a large number of balls. This provides stability in the batting order. In a series decider, this can be just as important as scoring runs.
Squad Movements at a Glance
| Player | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Smith | Fitness test pending | Neck issue; net session to decide |
| Nic Maddinson | Released | Returns to join New South Wales for Sheffield Shield |
| Sam Harper | Released | Joins Victoria to face Queensland in the Shield |
| Matt Renshaw | Set to open | Expected to partner Travis Head |
| Josh Inglis | Medically cleared | Can keep wicket if Alex Carey has any issues |
By the Numbers: Nic Maddinson’s Tour
| Innings | Score |
|---|---|
| 1st | 0 |
| 2nd | 48 |
| 3rd | 0 |
| 4th | 8 |
Maddinson was a surprise call-up and didn’t have a huge impact, scoring 56 runs in four innings, but Bailey said it is not the end of his Test career. “He is definitely not a ‘stopgap’ player. It gave us a nice balance in the early stages of the series. We saw some good signs in his second innings in Durban, so he is going to play a part in the home summer against India.”
Wicketkeeper Cover
Harper was brought in as a cover when Inglis broke his finger. As Inglis is now fit to go in as wicketkeeper if required, we don’t need the additional wicketkeeper. Alex Carey will be our main wicketkeeper.
What’s Next
- Smith’s full net session will determine his availability.
- This will be Australia’s final training session at Newlands.
- Renshaw is set to open the innings with Head.
- Maddinson and Harper will head back to their state teams.
FAQ
Is Steve Smith playing?
No, he will need to pass a fitness test, including a full nets session.
What is the issue?
A neck issue that caused him issues in the last Test in Gqeberha.
Who will replace him?
Labuschagne is almost certain to stay in the XI. The selectors have shown their support for Labuschagne, and the rest of the batting changes will be decided on the final training day.
Who will open with Travis Head?
Matt Renshaw will open after Nic Maddinson was released.
Will Nic Maddinson miss out on playing Test cricket?
No, George Bailey said he won’t. Maddinson is still in contention for the home summer against India.
Why was Sam Harper released?
Because he was covering Josh Inglis who is now medically cleared to keep wicket if required. Harper will play for Victoria against Queensland.
Join the conversation
If Smith misses out, should Australia play Labuschagne on 3, or is it time to go bold? Let us know in the comments.
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