Hohns expects no issue with pair
MELBOURNE: Steve Smith and David Warner are returning to a changed Australian team, in which hard heads will ensure their comebacks go smoothly.
As expected, the two stars were named yesterday in the World Cup squad.
The oneday tournament will be their first Australian games since the end of their 12month bans stemming from the South African ball tampering scandal.
Chief selector Trevor Hohns and oneday captain Aaron Finch are confident there will be no problems when the star pair are back in the team.
Smith and Warner met with the oneday squad in Dubai last month to help prepare for their returns and Hohns said that was part of a process that has been going on for two or three months.
‘‘There have been a lot of people speaking to them from Cricket
Australia,’’
Hohns said.
‘‘I’m quite comfortable and quite confident that they know what is expected and they know the environment they are stepping into which is quite different to when they left.’’
Hohns was asked about the potential for the returns of Smith and Warner disrupting the team environment.
‘‘There are enough hardnosed people around the Australian cricket team to make sure it does [successfully] happen,’’ he said.
Finch similarly predicts no problems with having Smith and Warner in the side, saying they were fantastic in Dubai.
‘‘As far as I’m concerned, they’ve done everything they’ve been asked in this last 12 months,’’ Finch said.
‘‘They were very good around the group and continuing to do everything they can, that’s in the best interests of the side, and that’s a real key.
‘‘Knowing them both personally as well as I do, I don’t think that will be any kind of issue whatsoever.’’ — AAP