Australia support struggling star batter Smith to unlock his T20 potential

Australia hope to unlock Steve Smith’s potential in Twenty20 cricket ahead of this year’s World Cup, assistant coach Michael Di Venuto said, as the test team’s batting mainstay continues to struggle in the shortest format.Smith averages 59.77 in Tests and was Australia’s second-highest scorer on their tour of Pakistan earlier this year, hitting three 50-plus scores in four innings.In the 20-overs format he averages 25.54 and has a modest strike rate of 125. He has not managed a fifty in his last 16 innings in Twenty20 Internationals and was dismissed for five against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.“Recent history, we’ve used (Smith) in a different way throughout our middle order, where people have batted around him,” Di Venuto said.“We know his skill level, we know his talent so we’re pretty keen to unlock him as a T20 cricketer and just let him go about his business and show us how good he is.”The world champions left out a more attacking Josh Inglis to accommodate Smith for the first two games against Sri Lanka, which they won to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series.In a format dominated by muscular batters who can clear the rope at will, Smith’s quiet accumulation of runs means Australia have needed others to bat around him. Di Venuto was confident Smith would have mastered the format by the time Australia begin their Twenty20 World Cup title defence on home soil in October.“The skill level is exceptionally high, we’re hoping to unlock him during this period,” he said. “We’ve got plenty of games leading into the World Cup so hopefully we see the best of Steve Smith.”Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the final Twenty20 tomorrow with an index finger injury sustained during the series opener which needed six stitches and kept him out of the second match.Australia are confident the fast bowler would play a role in the five-match one-day series that gets underway in Kandy on Tuesday.Pakistan’S Hasnain SET to play THE HUNDREDPakistan quick Mohamed Hasnain has signed to play for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred, it was announced yesterday, having just had his bowling action cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Hasnain is one of the tournament’s new ‘wildcard’ signings, with teams being granted a fourth overseas slot in their squads during the second season of the pioneering 100 balls per side event. ‘Wildcards’ in the men’s draw will be paid £50,000 ($63,000), with their female equivalents earning £15,000 ($19,000) in a competition where eight specially created sides, rather than the traditional 18 English first-class counties, field both men’s and women’s teams.Hasnain, now 22, was banned from bowling internationally in January by ICC after his action was reported during a stint with Sydney Thunder in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League. Under ICC rules, an illegal bowling action is one in which the bowler’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees. Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques accused Hasnain of “chucking” during a Big Bash match in January, telling him “nice throw, mate” at one stage. Hasnain, however, has now had his action cleared following a fresh round of testing in Lahore.“I’m overjoyed to be joining Oval Invincibles,” Hasnain  said. “The Hundred looked like great fun last year and I can’t wait to get involved. The opportunity to play alongside stars like Sunil Narine, Jason Roy and the Curran brothers (Sam and Tom) is hugely exciting. I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the field again.”Australia trio Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner and Daniel Sams will play for London Spirit, Manchester Originals and Trent Rockets respectively, with veteran South Africa spinner Imran Tahir re-signing for a second spell with Birmingham Phoenix.