Steve Smith to play for Australia against Derbyshire after returning to nets

Steve Smith has stepped up his comeback from the concussion he suffered during the second Test at Lord’s after returning to the nets for his first batting session in a week. Australia’s premier batsman is sitting out the Headingley Test as he recovers from the Jofra Archer short ball that struck him in the neck and caused delayed symptoms that included headaches and dizziness.

But on Saturday, a week to the day since that sickening blow, Australia’s medical team permitted Smith a 15-minute session of gentle throw-downs to go with a third day of light jogging. Smith was not sporting a StemGuard on his helmet – the additional protection that might have softened the impact of Archer’s delivery – but, given the gentle nature of the session, it remains to be seen if this will change when he returns to the front line.

The 30-year-old will play in the three-day tour match against Derbyshire that begins on Thursday with a view to returning for the fourth Test at Old Trafford from 4 September – a match England’s Jimmy Anderson is similarly targeting following a calf injury.

Smith’s replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, has performed admirably, with his 80 in Australia’s second innings in Leeds making it three successive half-centuries. The right-hander has worn a number of blows himself and had an on-field concussion test on day three after being struck on the grille by Archer for the second time this series.

“I’m getting pretty good at answering the questions,” joked Labuschagne after the close. “I remember questions from two days ago! You don’t like getting hit in the head but it wakes you up. The doc, it’s a bit of a laugh now, he comes out and I’m like: ‘Doc, I’m all right, I’m good.’ I think he knows now. If I do get hit properly, I think there will be a clear difference. The last few have just been glancing blows.”

Joe Denly claims Joe Root’s return to form has England believing they can pull off a historic run chase on day four. After successive ducks, Root will resume on 75 in the morning with Ben Stokes for company and a further 203 runs needed. Denly, who made 50, said: “Any time Joe Root is scoring runs it puts belief in the side. We feed off that, and as a captain as well. In terms of the pitch, it’s pretty good for batting on, not too much turn and it won’t deteriorate overnight.

“There is a tricky period in the morning with the new ball coming up but we have Rooty and Stokesy – two world class batters – in, so get through that and we will be in a great position.”

source: theguardian.com