Australia's Steve Smith cleared to return against England after concussion scare

Steve Smith has been cleared to return for Australia in Sunday’s second one-day international against England at Old Trafford following the concussion scare that meant he missed his side’s victory on Friday night.

The 31-year-old’s absence from the 19-run win made it all the more laudable for the tourists, who could spend their rest day reflecting on Josh Hazlewood’s new-ball masterclass and an evening of adhesive catching en route to a 1-0 series lead.

Australia disclosed before the toss that Smith had been struck on the head in the nets 24 hours earlier – a short ball delivered by a coach with a sidearm – and though he passed an initial concussion test, a late call was made to wait for a second on Saturday morning that was subsequently cleared.

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Media are not present at nets but it naturally brought back memories of Smith being felled by Jofra Archer during last summer’s Ashes Test at Lord’s – a blow that led him to retire hurt and then resume his inning before being subbed out of the match, and likely informed Australia’s caution here.

His teammate, Mitchell Marsh, believes this latest knock will only increase the master batsman’s determination, however. “It was a good decision in the end. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks, certainly with head injuries,” said Marsh, who made 73 before Australia defended 295 for nine. “. Any time you have Steve Smith coming back into the team is a great feeling.”

Asked if Australia’s battery of fast bowlers may wish to go easy on Smith in the nets, Marsh replied: “The Steve Smith I know will probably ask guys to bump the hell out of him: he loves the contest. Anyone that bowls at 150kph – he loves the challenge, so certainly there will be no backing down from Steve Smith, I know that 100% for sure.”Smith’s return, most likely for Marcus Stoinis despite deputising with a slick 43, only boosts the tourists as they look to inflict England’s first bilateral series defeat since they lost 2-1 in India in January 2017 (a one-off defeat to Scotland the following summer notwithstanding).

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Australia’s other injury doubt is Mitchell Starc, who reported some soreness in his upper leg during England’s innings. Kane Richardson and the uncapped Riley Meredith are the two quicks on standby but a reused surface may bring Ashton Agar’s left-arm spin into the equation.

Sam Billings, whose maiden international century (118 from 110 balls) could not prevent his side slipping to defeat, said: “The key message from us as a group is we play our best when we get on the front foot and put people under pressure. How that looks in these conditions might differ from all gung-ho approach. [But] it will provoke a bit of a reaction and we’ll come back firing.”

Billings drew huge satisfaction from his innings, even if it was bittersweet in defeat, having missed a chance of making England’s World Cup squad last summer through injury and then battled hard against a Test-class Australian attack.Billings, whose appearances have been sporadic over five years, claimed he initially felt terrible at the crease – not least when 11 from 32 balls with the tourists reminding him of this out in the middle – but hopes the end result is a breakthrough innings. “I’ve threatened to get a score of substance for quite a while and it’s just nice to kick on and stake a claim,” he said.

“Ben Stokes isn’t here and I don’t think, however many runs I get, that I’ll keep that spot. But that’s all I can do.”have arranged for the members of their squad not travelling to the Indian Premier League after the series to undergo two-weeks of quarantine with access to training at the Adelaide Oval when they return home.

England (possible): Roy, Bairstow, Root, Morgan (c), Billings, Buttler (wk), Moeen, Woakes, Archer, Wood, Rashid

Australia (possible): Finch (c), Warner, Smith, Labuschagne, Maxwell, Marsh, Carey (wk), Cummins, Starc, Zampa, Hazlewood (1pm BST start)