No concerns over niggling Steve Smith injury

No concerns over niggling Steve Smith injury ahead of South Africa tri-series clash
JUNE 19, 201610:05AM

Steve Smith says he will continue to manage his workload as injuries nag throughout the tri-series in the West Indies. Picture: Getty Images
AAP


AUSTRALIAN cricket captain Steve Smith has batted away concerns about his workload and latest niggle, insisting he can manage a minor quad strain through the ODI tri-series in the West Indies.
Smith was on restricted duties during Australia’s first two sessions in Barbados, where they face South Africa in a crunch clash that starts at 3am AEST on Monday.
But the skipper trained well on match eve, when he had three separate hits and was the last man to leave the nets at Kensington Oval.
The quad injury Smith suffered while scoring 74 against West Indies in St Kitts is clearly not serious.

The fact the 27-year-old continued to bat after the setback then fielded suggested as much.
But in Smith’s words, the situation is far from ideal.
“I think I can manage it,” he said.
“It’s been a bit sore but I’ll have a run around today.
“I understand my body a lot better these days and I can manage these little injuries.

“It’s one of those injuries where I might not be able to go at 100 per cent, but I think I’ll be right for the game.”
Australia face West Indies at the same ground at 3am AEST on Wednesday, with Smith less sure about his chances of featuring in that match.
“I hope so. We’ll just have to wait and see how it goes ... we’ll just play it by ear,” he said.

Smith is arguably the key to Australia reaching next week’s final, something they will all but achieve by defeating the Proteas.
Australia’s top order has already been severely weakened by the broken finger suffered by form batsman David Warner.
The other factor in managing Smith’s quad issue is a Test series in Sri Lanka that starts on July 26, when the captain will want to be fully fit.
The classy right-hander returned home early from the Indian Premier League because of a wrist injury, while he dealt with knee and hip niggles during the previous summer.

Smith would seemingly benefit from a break.
“We have a pretty full on schedule, there’s always lots on so you don’t get those opportunities too often to get a big pre-season in,” Smith said.
“You have to run with it.
“That’s part of playing international sport, particularly playing cricket for Australia.
“Sri Lanka is still a fair way away, it’s about five weeks until the first Test match there ... the body has been pretty good.” Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc will return at the expense of Travis Head and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
“We have to win one more of our last two games and that’ll basically put us in the final. We’d like to wrap that up tomorrow against South Africa,” Smith said.

Smith welcomed the prospect of the Proteas playing three spinners, as floated by their bowling coach Claude Henderson. “I’d actually quite like it if they played three spinners on this wicket ... that’ll play into our hands quite nicely,” he said.

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