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The 'good result' from Steve Smith's finger dislocation

The 'good result' from Steve Smith's finger dislocation

Perth Now2 days ago

Star Australia batter Steve Smith has described avoiding surgery on his dislocated finger as a "good result".
The 36-year-old will almost certainly be ruled out of Australia's first Test against West Indies, starting in Barbados on June 25.
But Smith could push to return for the last two matches in the three-Test series if he can manage batting with discomfort.
He will be required to keep his finger in a splint for up to eight weeks after suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger in the World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa.
"Fortunately there's no break there," Smith said after Australia's shock loss on Sunday.
"It just split the skin and dislocated it, which made me feel pretty ill at that stage.
"In a splint for eight weeks, and maybe able to play with it in a couple of weeks.
"It was probably the best result I could've asked for."
Wearing a helmet in the slip cordon, Smith was standing far closer to the stumps than normal when he dropped Proteas captain Temba Bavuma in the second innings.
Edges regularly dropped short of fielders during the Test, but this one flew towards Smith and he was unable to hang on to it.
He immediately left the field in immense pain after spilling the catch that would have put Australia in the box seat to claim back-to-back WTC titles.
Smith didn't field on Saturday as South Africa pulled off a landmark upset.
"I was obviously standing pretty close with the helmet on there," he said.
"I kind've lost sight of it with the angle Mitchell Starc was bowling, it kind've went inside Bavuma's hip so I didn't actually quite see it until really late.
"It kind've dipped on me a bit late as well.
"It was tricky, obviously didn't go in my hand well."
During the WTC decider, Smith became the highest non-England run-scorer (604) at Lord's.
He made his debut at the famous ground in 2010, and peeled off brilliant centuries in the 2015 and 2023 Ashes.
But his finger injury now adds to the concussion he suffered at Lord's in 2019 when he was hit in the head by a Jofra Archer bouncer.
"I have a love-hate relationship with this place now," Smith said.
"Had some really good memories, not so good ones as well."

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Justin Langer has urged Australia to stick with Marnus Labuschagne in the top order, warning the next generation could be set up to fail if he is dropped. Labuschagne's spot has come under intense scrutiny following Australia's World Test Championship final loss, after he was moved up to open against South Africa. Scores of 17 and 22 extended his century drought to almost 24 months. Labuschagne averaged just 27.82 in the two-year Test Championship window that concluded with the final. Australia's coach Andrew McDonald continues to insist Labuschagne is a big part of the team's future, but he too has questioned at what point they stop picking the right-hander. Langer was Australia's coach when he handed Labuschagne his Test debut in 2018, with the Queenslander rising to the top of the world batting rankings by the end of 2021. Langer said it is vital Labuschagne remains in the team, given the top order are in the middle of a transition with Usman Khawaja aged 38 and Steve Smith 36. "Marnus is a 50-Test player. He's been the best player in the world. He still averages (46.19)," he said. "All players go through it. If you're not scoring runs, you're going to be under the spotlight. "But all of a sudden David Warner leaves, and then Usman Khawaja leaves, and then Steve Smith. "If Marnus isn't playing well, you've got a huge gap there because Travis Head bats down the order. So he's actually a very, very important link in this chain here. "If I was the Australian team, I'd be focusing — and I'm sure they are — all their attention on getting Marnus to come good in however that is." Labuschagne is expected to move back down to number three for Australia's looming Tests against West Indies, with Sam Konstas an option to open and Steve Smith in doubt. Nathan McSweeney was also blooded last summer, while Australia's coaches have indicated they see Cameron Green as a top-order batter. Australia has one eye on this summer's Ashes, with Josh Inglis also remaining in the squad after a century on debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year. But Langer said it was crucial for the next generation that Labuschagne remained in the team alongside whatever young players come in. "Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. "If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game, and you have to bring another kid in there (to replace Labuschagne). "Sam Konstas, he played a few Tests, right? I think he's only got two first-class hundreds at the moment, and they were both in the same game. "I say this with absolute respect, but these new guys coming in, they're not averaging 50 (in first-class cricket). "These other guys coming through, you've got to be smacking the door down. You can't just bring them in an Ashes series." AAP

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