‘Smith on track for return after surgery’
SYDNEY: Former Australia cricket captain Steve Smith’s surgery for an elbow injury went “very well” and he remains on track for the World Cup in England, his management said.
Smith, whose one-year ban for ball-tampering expires in late March, was forced to drop out of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Twenty20 tournament midway last month with the ligament problem.
He went under the knife and is currently in a brace. Smith’s manager Warren Craig told the Cricket Australia website late Wednesday the surgery had “gone very well”.
“Until the brace comes off we don’t know for sure but all current opinion is that he’ll then have about three-and-a-half weeks (before being ready to play),”he said.
“The intent is that he will play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and then the World Cup and then the Ashes,” Craig further added.
AUSTRALIA BOWLING COACH SAKER RESIGNS
MELBOURNE : Australia’s bowling coach David Saker has resigned less than three months before the team’s World Cup title defence in England this year.
Governing body Cricket Australia said Saker, who succeeded Craig Mcdermott in 2016, had resigned “effective immediately” and would be replaced by Troy Cooley for upcoming one-day international series against India and Pakistan.while Australia completed a dominant 2-0 test series win over Sri Lanka earlier this week, the team’s bowlers have been under fire during a disappointing home summer.