Ashes: Australia's Steve Smith & David Warner to play 'huge part'

[MenInG]

Banned duo Steve Smith and David Warner will play a "huge part" in this year's Ashes series against England, says Australia captain Tim Paine.

Then-captain Smith and his deputy Warner were banned for a year for ball-tampering in South Africa in March.

Smith and Warner are expected to return to the national side when their suspensions expire next month.

"I see us going to the Ashes and them having a huge part in us winning the series," said Paine.

"We know how good they are and hopefully once their bans are up, they'll be welcomed back. Those two have got plenty of runs in the bank."

On Monday, Australia wrapped up a 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka, winning the second Test by 366 runs in Canberra.

England, in contrast, are 2-0 down in their three-match series against West Indies following a 10-wicket defeat in the second Test in Antigua.

"What we have seen over this summer is we are starting to build a squad with plenty of depth. There's probably anywhere between 16 and 25 players we think are now in the mix, which is a really good place to be," Paine said.

"I've been dreaming about it actually. I'm happy now that we've got this (Sri Lanka series) out of the way and I can put everything into it because every Australian cricketer can't wait to go and play an Ashes series, particularly in England."

The Ashes gets under way on 1 August with the first of five Tests at Edgbaston.

Before that, Australia's one-day team - which could also call upon Smith and Warner - will hope to defend the World Cup trophy they won down under in 2015.

That is also being held in England, from 30 May until 14 July.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/47117005

 

[Hasan123]

No surprise. We knew both would be back for The Ashes and World Cup. They will have played enough competitive cricket to be thrown straight back in.

 

[MenInG]

How will the opposition accept them on the field?

 

[Sher Khan]

People are overreacting. All they did was tamper the ball. The opposition won't care about them. But I do see the crowd booing them.

 

[Oligochaetes]

First concentrate on the World Cup.

Or are they gonna miss the Premier Event...

 

[MP2011]

I read somewhere that Smith may miss WC owing to his elbow surgery. However he should be fit for Ashes.

 

[Major]

How will the opposition accept them on the field?

If opposition could accept amir back on the field, then this is nothing.


Question is, would Cricket Australia select them.

EVeryone is going on about that how they should be available before such and such series, we dont even know if Australia will be selecting them or not.

 

[The Viper]

Australia’s rest lineup looks pretty settled for the first Ashes test. With Warner coming in for Harris and Smith for Marnus.

 

[giri26]

Despite the Aussie batters filling their boots against a lacklustre Sri Lankan team, their batting issues are still in place. Steven Smith and David Warner obviously will walk into this X1 easily. It is nice to see Khawaja, Patterson, Burns doing well but playing in England will be a completely different story and their bowling will be far more challenging than what SL dished out earlier this week in Canberra.

 

[Chrish]

Can Smith do what Bradman did after 8 years of hiatus from WW2??

 

[mastersaan10]

Lol Smith was out of cricket for 1 year guys not 5+ . Plus he was playing cricket so he is still match fit. He and Warner make Australia a better team but even with them in Odis England thrashed them so Australia is not as dominant in Odis as England or India.

 

[MenInG]

David Warner's return to international cricket could happen hours after his ban expires, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released details of next month's one-day series.

The PCB was disappointed Cricket Australia had rebuffed attempts to have the five-match series held in Pakistan because of safety and security fears but, in return for staging the series in the United Arab Emirates, it's understood CA has only asked its counterpart to play in one day-night Test here next summer.

Pakistan will tour Australia for two Tests next summer, with these matches most likely to be held in Brisbane and Adelaide, which have been the two venues where pink-ball Tests have been staged.

Warner's ban expires on March 28, meaning he could play in the final two ODI matches, on March 29 and March 31 in Dubai.

The series begins in Sharjah on March 22 but, should Warner be selected in the squad, under the terms of his ban he would not be allowed to watch the earlier matches with his teammates in the dressing room area. Instead, he would have to sit in the stands.

CA has much to debate before his return. In the first instance, he would need to prove he has recovered from the elbow surgery he had last month. He is expected to shed his brace next week, which CA said on Monday would provide a clearer picture as to when he could resume batting.

Then he will need to complete a process CA has put in place where he and Steve Smith will need to front teammates, coaches and team management in a clearing-the-air session before they are welcomed back. This process will almost certainly involve a mediator and has been led by interim high-performance chief Belinda Clark.

CA does not want there to be any lingering issues between Warner and Smith and all players when the two men return.

Smith, whose suspension for his role in the ball-tampering scandal also ends on March 28, is unlikely to be fit in time to play in the Pakistan series, for he has had major elbow surgery and remains in a brace until the end of the month.

He remains in the frame to return in time for the World Cup in May, although he is keen to play in the Indian Premier League, which also resumes on March 29.

Should Warner return for the Pakistan series, it would have the benefit of being more of a low-key series than through the World Cup, where the media and public focus will be intense. He also needs as much high-level match-play as possible after a year out.

But should he play in the UAE series, it could make for an awkward team dynamic as one batsman would immediately need to be dropped as soon as Warner returns.

Former captain Ricky Ponting, who will be an assistant coach to Justin Langer through the World Cup, has made it clear the defending champions will be far better off should batting guns Smith and Warner return to the side. Australia has won only three of its past 16 ODI matches.

Ponting will have a role in shepherding Smith and Warner back into the fold.

Australia has not toured Pakistan since 1998 but there has been international cricket in the country in the past three years, including three Twenty20s against the West Indies and matches in the Pakistan Super League.

PCB director Zakir Khan said the organisation had repeatedly asked Australia to change its stance, but this had not been forthcoming.

"The PCB was optimistic it would be able to convince Cricket Australia to send its side for some matches after successfully staging high-profile bilateral international series and the HBL Pakistan Super League matches in the past 18 months," Khan said.

"We are disappointed for the enthusiastic and passionate cricket fans in Pakistan who will now have to wait for some more time before they can see the Australia cricket team live in action for the first time since 1998.

"However, the CA has confirmed that they will send their security expert to oversee the execution of security plans for the PSL 2019 matches and bilateral series against other international sides in Pakistan, and will also speak with the ICC-recommended PCB security consultant. In the meantime, the CA have confirmed they will maintain regular contact with the ICC."

The series begins a week after the short-form tour of India concludes, meaning Australia is likely to travel directly to the UAE.

Those Australian players selected for the UAE series with IPL contracts cannot head to the lucrative Twenty20 tournament until their international commitments are done.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...-hours-after-ban-expires-20190211-p50wy3.html

 

[MenInG]

Justin Langer, the Australia coach, said that the returning pair of Steve Smith and David Warner needs to be humble as the ICC Men's Cricket World 2019 will offer them a chance at redemption.

Smith and Warner were handed a 12-month ban for their role in the ball-tampering incident last year in South Africa. The duo are now back with the national side for a training camp in Brisbane ahead of the premier tournament.

Langer, who spoke to the reporters at Allan Border Field on Friday, 3 May, believes that the incident was a very "humbling experience" for the team but they now need to concentrate on the upcoming World Cup.

"We saw some sad vision 12 months ago to some really positive vision to where we are now," he said. "We have had great success in the past. While we celebrate that, it means nothing on how we play this [World Cup]. But I do know that we had a very humbling experience. And we bought it upon ourselves. We must make the most of every opportunity that comes up, including this World Cup"

He also added that Smith and Warner's return to the side bodes well for the reigning champions and that the team will benefit from their leadership experience. Both batsmen have been in terrific form of late, having come back from a successful Indian Premier League campaign. While Warner has been the leading run-getter in the tournament with 692 runs in 12 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Smith, who briefly handled the captaincy for Rajasthan Royals, rose back to form with gritty performances.

"There is no tension," said a smiling Langer. "They're back in the team now. There’s been a big build up to it. It’s been a bit like facing fast bowling, you worry about it until you get out there and it’s not as bad you thought it was. It was probably worse the night before [in your head]. It’s the same with the boys coming back in."

There are certainly going to be challenges for both of them, though. When you’ve come from a titled position of captain, there’s going to be a certain degree of humility that comes with that.
Justin Langer

"They've been selected, which is brilliant. We’ll draw on their experience on and off the field and we would be absolutely crazy not to."

Smith and Warner held leadership roles – captain and vice-captain respectively – the last time they played for Australia, and part of their challenge in reintegration revolves around how well they're able adjust in the team environment without the positions.

"There are certainly going to be challenges for both of them, though. When you’ve come from a titled position of captain, there’s going to be a certain degree of humility that comes with that. But one of our really strong values is humility so it will be a great opportunity for them to develop that."

Australia will face Afghanistan on 1 June in Bristol in their opening World Cup game.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1205863

 

[James]

Set to play a huge part in warming the pavilion seats hopefully.

 

[Hasan123]

Steve Smith just needs to dominate a series in England to put himself really up there with the test match elite. He has been brilliant in most other countries.

 

[andy0204]

Pat Cummins will be the threat in the ashes.

 

[pratiktc]

Smith already scored match winning double century + century in 2015 Ashes in Eng.