Cricket

New South Wales (NSW) dominated Victoria in a One-Day Cup clash at the Junction Oval, securing a resounding 140-run victory. Despite the absence of Josh Hazlewood due to illness, NSW showcased their batting prowess with half-centuries from Steven Smith, Nic Maddinson, and Matthew Gilkes.Smith, returning to form after a disappointing Sheffield Shield match, struck a fluent 56 off 54 deliveries, including four fours and two sixes. Maddinson contributed 63 off 64 balls, while Gilkes provided a late surge with a blistering 74 off 42 deliveries, featuring eight fours and four sixes.Victoria's bowlers struggled to contain NSW's onslaught, with only veteran Peter Siddle offering resistance. The 39-year-old claimed a List A career-best 5 for 49, including the wickets of Smith, Gilkes, Pat Cummins, Josh Philippe, and Moises Henriques.In reply, Victoria's chase was anchored by Matthew Short's impressive 80 off 57 balls. However, the loss of wickets at regular intervals hindered their progress. Cummins, making his return after a long layoff, claimed the key wicket of Sam Harper, while Chris Green picked up three wickets to finish with 3 for 27.The victory extends NSW's unbeaten start to the One-Day Cup, while Victoria remains winless after two matches.

Marnus Labuschagne has declared the race for Australia's vacant Test opening spot wide open, following Steven Smith's return to his preferred No. 4 position. Smith's move back to the middle order has sparked speculation about who will fill the void at the top of the order, with Labuschagne, David Warner, and several other candidates in the mix.Labuschagne believes Smith's return to No. 4 is a logical decision, given his exceptional record in that position. "One of the best players for Australia batting in the position he has had the most success in is a pretty simple fix," he said. "Cameron Green is unavailable for the summer, so there is no one batting at No. 4. Why not have the person who has done it best for Australia batting in that position?"Labuschagne praised Smith's ability to adapt his game to different match scenarios, making him ideally suited to the No. 4 role. "At No. 4, you have to be good at playing spin, work on when you need to push, when you need to hold, and when you need to get through a tough spell," he said. "That has always been his strength."While Labuschagne is open to batting wherever the team needs him, he believes he has been successful at No. 3 and would prefer to remain there. "I will bat wherever they tell me to bat," he said. "Currently, I would say that how I have played at No. 3 has been relatively successful. Hopefully, it should be more successful, but that's where I have batted."The race for the opening spot is now wide open, with several candidates vying for selection. New South Wales teenager Sam Konstas, Victorian opener Marcus Harris, and Western Australia's Cameron Bancroft are the three specialist openers in contention. All three will feature for Australia A against India A next week, providing them with an opportunity to stake their claim for a Test debut.

Steven Smith's decision to return to the No. 4 batting position for Australia in Test cricket has been influenced by the discontent expressed by his teammates, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, who preferred him to bat behind them.Smith clarified that he did not explicitly request the move but was asked by coach Andrew McDonald about his preferred batting spot. He emphasized that he is willing to bat anywhere but expressed his preference for No. 4.The conversations about Smith's batting position began after the New Zealand Test series, regardless of Cameron Green's injury. Khawaja and Labuschagne had expressed their discomfort with Smith opening the batting, stating that they preferred the "security" of having him behind them.Smith acknowledged that he could have continued opening given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests he played in that role, but he understood the concerns of his teammates. He believes that his return to No. 4 will allow him to make the best contribution to the team.In his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand series, Smith scored 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria. Despite the low score, he felt positive about his performance and believes he is moving well and leaving the ball well.Smith also praised 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who was dismissed for 10 balls in the same match. He believes Konstas has a lot of time and is a bright prospect for the future.Regarding potential candidates to open the batting for Australia against India, Smith mentioned Nic Maddinson as a possible option. He believes Maddinson has a similar style to David Warner and could have a similar impact at the top of the order.

Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc will make their long-awaited returns to the Sheffield Shield this weekend as New South Wales takes on Victoria at the MCG. The match, starting Sunday, will serve as a crucial preparation for the upcoming international summer.Smith, who has been sidelined with a concussion since the Ashes, will be eager to prove his fitness ahead of the Test series against India. The former Australian captain last played a Shield match in February 2021.Starc, on the other hand, has not featured in the Shield since the 2020-21 final. The left-arm quick will be looking to regain his rhythm and build up his workload before the ODI series against Pakistan.Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will not play in the Shield match but are expected to feature in the One-Day Cup fixture against Victoria on October 25. Cummins is unlikely to play any red-ball cricket before the Test series against India, while Hazlewood's availability for the third round of Shield may be affected by the ODI series against Pakistan.Sean Abbott will also return for NSW after missing the opening round due to a minor injury. Nathan Lyon, who took eight wickets against South Australia, will again be a key figure for the Blues.Victoria is expected to include Scott Boland in their squad, setting up a fascinating contest with 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas. Konstas was called up to the Australia A squad earlier this week after scoring twin centuries against South Australia.Matthew Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, and Liam Hatcher have been dropped from the NSW squad that drew with South Australia in the opening round.

Steven Smith's brief stint as an opener in Australia's Test team has come to an end, with the former captain expressing a desire to return to his previous position at No. 4. While the move to open was initially met with criticism, it has sparked a debate about the potential consequences of denying Smith's request.Smith's decision to open the batting was driven by a desire for a fresh challenge and a belief that he could contribute more to the team in that role. Despite initial resistance from the captain and coach, Smith's persistence led to the team hierarchy agreeing to accommodate his request.However, Smith's performance as an opener has been mixed. While he made a match-winning 174 not out in New Zealand, his overall average of 28.50 across eight innings was below his usual standards. This has led to questions about whether the move was a success or a failure.Despite his modest average, Smith's performance as an opener was comparable to that of other openers in the same conditions. Usman Khawaja, Tom Latham, and Will Young all averaged less than 35 in the same four Tests. Additionally, Smith's move to open allowed Cameron Green to bat at No. 4, where he made a significant impact.The decision to move Smith back to No. 4 has potential implications for the team leadership. The new opener will feel pressure to prove themselves, knowing that they were not the first choice. A bolt from the blue like Sam Konstas could provide a clean slate, but it would also raise questions about Green's future in the team.Ultimately, Smith's time as a Test opener will likely be a footnote in his storied career. However, it has raised important questions about the role of player input in team selection and the consequences of denying a player's request for a change.

Steven Smith, Australia's batting mainstay, will relinquish his opening role in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against India. The decision, initiated by Smith himself, was confirmed by George Bailey, the chair of selectors.Smith's request to move back down the order had been in the works even before Cameron Green's season-ending back injury. Bailey revealed that Smith, in discussions with captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald, had expressed his desire to return to the middle order."Pat, Andrew, and Steven Smith had been having ongoing conversations separate to the untimely injury to Cameron anyway," Bailey said. "And I think Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position."The move back to the middle order opens up two spots in the top six, with Green's absence creating a vacancy at No. 4 and Smith's departure leaving the opening slot vacant. Bailey hinted that Smith would have moved regardless of Green's injury, but declined to speculate on the exact configuration of the top six had Green been fit."Part of those discussions have been had and what it might look like," he said. "But I guess once you do get moving parts, a lot of those conversations become null and void."The selectors are likely to opt for a specialist opener to replace Green and return Smith to his preferred position. Bailey downplayed the need for an extra bowling option in the top six, noting that Australia's attack has played without an allrounder before."They've done it in the past," Bailey said. "You don't know how each Test is going to play out in terms of the workload for the quicks, or how much of an impact Nathan Lyon's going to have across the summer."The focus now shifts to Australia's domestic openers, with Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Sam Konstas emerging as potential candidates to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Bailey suggested that Konstas could put himself in the mix with continued strong performances."He's in the mix as are plenty of others," Bailey said. "I certainly don't want to single single him out. I think the consistency of Cam Bancroft over a number of years, the consistency of Marcus Harris over a number of years, they've both had a look at Test cricket as well."

Cameron Green's participation in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India is in jeopardy due to a persistent back injury. The Australian allrounder has been experiencing back soreness since the third ODI against England in the UK, and scans have revealed a potential stress fracture.Cricket Australia's medical and high-performance team is currently evaluating Green's condition and considering various recovery options, including surgery. If surgery is deemed necessary, it would rule Green out of the entire summer, including the four-Test series against India.However, if a non-surgical recovery plan is adopted, there is a possibility that Green could still play as a batter only later in the summer. The timeframe for his potential return is yet to be determined.Green's absence from the series would have a significant impact on Australia's batting order. It could pave the way for Steven Smith to move back to his preferred position at No. 4, opening up a spot for an opener to be selected from Shield cricket.Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Matt Renshaw are all in contention for the opening slot. Harris has made a strong start to the Shield season with a century for Victoria, while Bancroft and Renshaw have had less impressive performances in the first innings of their respective matches.The decision on Green's availability and the batting order for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is expected to be made in the coming days. If Green is ruled out, it would be a major blow to Australia's hopes of retaining the trophy against India.

Australia's Test opening conundrum remains unresolved as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India approaches. Shane Watson believes Steven Smith should continue at the top of the order, despite his recent struggles.Smith's move to opener after David Warner's retirement has sparked debate. Watson initially favored Cameron Green for the role, but Green's impressive performances at No. 4 have convinced him otherwise."Cameron Green came in and batted at No. 4 and did a brilliant job," Watson said. "He's the perfect No. 4 candidate now."However, Green's availability for the India series is uncertain due to a lower back injury. Cricket Australia is assessing his scans and an announcement on his status is expected this week.Smith's four-Test stint as opener has yielded 171 runs at an average of 28.50. Watson believes Smith's recent struggles are due to technical issues, not his position."He was a little bit off with his technique," Watson said. "If he opens and makes those little adjustments, he can be incredibly successful."Watson also expressed his disappointment with the decision to host the opening Test in Perth instead of Brisbane."The Gabba is a more challenging place to play for the foreign teams," Watson said. "It provides a few more challenges, whereas Perth, for example, it's not humid, the ball doesn't swing as much."The Gabba has been an Australian stronghold, but has been breached recently by West Indies and India. The ground's future is uncertain as Brisbane requires upgraded infrastructure for the 2032 Olympic games.

Australia, led by stand-in captain Steven Smith, will face England in the decisive third ODI at Bristol, with both teams seeking to clinch the series. Australia has been forced to make changes due to an injury to Mitchell Marsh, while England has rested Jofra Archer.Despite the series being on the line, England has opted to rest Archer, who has played two consecutive matches. Olly Stone returns to the side as the only change, with Harry Brook confirming that he would have also chosen to bowl first on an overcast day.Australia's captaincy duties fall to Smith, who has frequently filled in as skipper in recent years. Sean Abbott has also been dropped after three costly outings, with Aaron Hardie returning to the team. Cooper Connolly makes his debut, providing Australia with another spin option and an additional left-hander in the lower order. Alex Carey has lost his spot, while Matthew Short will open the batting.England's lineup remains largely unchanged, with Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Olly Stone, Matthew Potts, and Adil Rashid all retaining their places.Australia's team for the match is as follows: Travis Head, Matthew Short, Steven Smith (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, and Josh Hazlewood.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams eager to secure the series victory. The weather forecast predicts rain later in the afternoon, which could potentially impact the outcome of the game.