Australia Star Smith Remains Sidelined As England Bat In 2nd ODI

Manchester, United Kingdom, Sept 13 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Sep, 2020 ) :Australia's Steve Smith remained out of action as England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and elected to bat in the second one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Star batsman Smith missed Australia's 19-run win at Lancashire's headquarters in the first of a three-match series against world champions England on Friday after being hit on the head by a throw-down from a member of the tourists' coaching staff while batting in the nets on Thursday.

Australia insisted he was being rested purely as a precaution despite passing a concussion test and a team spokesman said Saturday that Smith had come through another such check.

Nevertheless, Australia decided against recalling Smith, with a team spokesman saying Sunday: "Steve passed both assessments, but we have decided to rest him as an extra precaution in line with our high level of focus on duty of care to all players." Smith was felled by a 92 mph bouncer from England's Jofra Archer during last year's drawn second Test at Lord's.

But despite missing the third Test, Smith still scored 774 runs, including three hundreds, at an average of over 110 during a five-match series that ended all square at 2-2, with Australia retaining the Ashes.

Australia fielded an unchanged team, with left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc passed fit despite a groin injury suffered on Friday.

England, however, made two changes with the seam-bowling Curran brothers, Sam and Tom, replacing Mark Wood, out with what a spokesman said was an "ankle niggle" and off-spinner Moeen Ali, who was left out as a tactical change.

If Australia win this match it will mean England have lost their first home ODI series since a 2015 defeat by their arch-rivals.

Teams England: Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Jos Buttler (wkt), Sam Billings, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wkt), Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood Umpires: Michael Gough (ENG), Martin Saggers (ENG)tv umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)Match referee: Chris Broad