Australia give Steve Smith chance to prove fitness ahead of South Africa series decider

Batter aiming for Newlands return after injuring neck in second TestMarnus Labuschagne set to keep place; Nic Maddinson dropped Australia will give key batter Steve Smith as much time as possible to ⁠prove his fitness ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands, captain Pat Cummins said.Smith ⁠injured his neck in ⁠South Africa’s ​innings and 31-run victory in the second Test in Gqeberha which levelled the series at 1-1 going into the decider in ⁠Cape Town starting on Tuesday. Continue reading…

Australia will give key batter Steve Smith as much time as possible to ⁠prove his fitness ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands Batter aiming for Newlands return after injuring neck in second Test Australia will give key batter Steve Smith as much time as possible to ⁠prove his fitness ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands, captain Pat Cummins said. Smith ⁠injured his neck in ⁠South Africa’s ​innings and 31-run victory in the second Test in Gqeberha which levelled the series at 1-1 going into the decider in ⁠Cape Town starting on Tuesday.

“Hopefully, it all goes well and he’ll be there,” Cummins said. “But we just want to wait for ⁠that last piece of the puzzle [before naming a team].” Cummins said Cameron Green would bat “preferably ​in the middle order”, which will likely ‌mean Matt Renshaw opening ‌with Travis Head after Nic Maddinson was dropped from the squad. For Smith, it would ‌be a return to the scene of his