Australia will hope star batsman Steve Smith can inspire an Ashes revival after their stunning one-wicket loss to England in the third Test at Headingley.
Ashes-holders Australia were on the brink of retaining the urn only for Ben Stokes’s astonishing 135 not out to see England — bowled out for 67 in their first innings — snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as they levelled the series at 1-1 with two to play.
Smith missed the match with concussion suffered when hit by a 92mph Jofra Archer bouncer in the drawn second Test at Lord’s.
He is expected to play in this week’s tour game against Derbyshire, with a view to returning for the fourth Test at Old Trafford on September 4.
In Smith’s first Test series since he completed a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal that cost him the Australia captaincy, he has scored 144 and 142 in the opener at Edgbaston, and 92 at Lord’s.
Stand-in Marnus Labuschagne has made three successive fifties in Smith’s absence but his 80 in Australia’s second-innings 246 at Leeds was the only score above 33.
“One thing I do know is that we’re not batting well enough at the moment,” said Australia coach Justin Langer.
“I said at the start of the series that the team who bats best will win the Ashes.”
Langer, a former Australia opener, added: “We’ve got some real questions to ask for the practice game and for the fourth Test match.”
