Clarke back for Oz, Smith dropped

Cricket365
August 30, 2014

Australia have skipper Michael Clarke back in the side for their tri-series encounter against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday, after he missed their first two games with a hamstring injury.

Clarke's return from the treatment room has caused all-rounder Steve Smith to be dropped, while batting all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been shuffled from number three to number six.

Spinner Nathan Lyon has been recalled on a turning deck which saw Zim spinner Prosper Utseya take a five-fer, including a hat-trick, against the Proteas earlier in the week. As such, Mitchell Johnson has been rested.

Clarke said of Marsh's move on Saturday: "I think he's done really well, he obviously batted beautifully against Zimbabwe and started well against South Africa but didn't really get a chance to show the type of nick he's in.

"So I still Mitch that has the advantage of batting in the top order or the middle-order, and with the team the selectors have given me I think that's a big part of why he's batting where he is, batting at six this game.

"And they want to have more of a look at his bowling as well, so you might see him open the bowling."

He added of Smith: "He hasn't had much of an opportunity in this series batting at six and seven, but he was picked in the (tournament's) first squad as well so he'll obviously be very disappointed.

"But I got back in the team and someone had to go."

Australia XI: Aaron Finch, Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke (c), George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), James Faulkner, Ben Cutting, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, (12th man tbc)