Australia captain Steven Smith expects that David Warner will have recovered from his neck injury in time for the start of the Ashes. (0:53)
Australia are likely to call an opening batsman into the squad as cover for David Warner, who suffered a neck injury at training on Tuesday, but captain Steven Smith said he was confident Warner would be fit to play.
Warner hurt his neck during a fielding drill at the Gabba two days before the first Ashes Test and although he faced only two throwdowns in the nets later that day, on match eve he enjoyed a much longer batting session as he aimed to prove his fitness.
“Davey’s going well,” Smith said. “He had a hit just before. He’s very confident and he says he’ll be right to go.
“They’re thinking about it [a standby player] at the moment, but Davey’s confident that he’ll be okay. They’re talking about someone at the moment, so there’s a good chance someone will be in as cover, but I’m not sure who at this stage.”
Queensland opener Matt Renshaw would be one candidate, having been dropped from the Test side to make way for the in-form Cameron Bancroft. However, the national selector Trevor Hohns said at the squad announcement that Renshaw was “out of form at the moment and we don’t feel an Ashes Test match is the best place for him to find form”.
South Australia’s Jake Weatherald and Victoria’s Marcus Harris are openers who have been in good form this Shield season, as has New South Wales’ Daniel Hughes, although he has been batting down the order this summer. Another option for the selectors would be to call on a middle-order batsman and have the versatile Shaun Marsh on standby to move up the order to open with Bancroft.
However, Smith said his vice-captain Warner was keen to do anything required to be part of the XI on Thursday and was expected to be in the side.
“He’ll be okay,” Smith said. “It’s part and parcel of playing cricket. Guys have injuries now and then. You have little niggles and he’s confident that he’ll be okay. He said he’ll even bat like Shivnarine Chanderpaul if he has to bat that way. So I think he’ll be all right.”
Smith also confirmed that, as expected, fast bowlers Jackson Bird and Chadd Sayers would sit out of the side from the 13-man squad.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo