Australia batsman Smith out of Ashes test with concussion

Published Aug. 24, 2019 8:48 a.m. ET

LEEDS, England (AP) — Australia will be without leading batsman Steve Smith for the third Ashes test against England because of a concussion.

On the fourth day of the second test on Saturday, Smith had to leave the field after being hit on the neck by a fast, sharply rising delivery from Jofra Archer.

Tests were conducted before Smith was allowed to return to complete his innings at Lord's and was eventually out for 92. Smith complained of headaches later Saturday and was ruled out of the remainder of the match after displaying concussion symptoms.

"It was really a no-brainer," Australia coach Justin Langer said Tuesday of the decision to leave Smith out of the XI. "He felt a bit better yesterday but he is not going to have time enough to tick off everything he needs to do to be ready to play."

Langer said Smith could make a return in a three-day tour match against Derbyshire from Aug. 29-31, between the third and fourth tests.

"It'd be great for (Smith) rather than just doing it in the nets or having throwdowns to play that practice game," Langer said. "It could work out really well. We know what he's like, so look out the Derbyshire bowlers."

Australia leads the five-match series 1-0 ahead of third test, which starts on Thursday at Headingley, and Smith will be sorely missed.

The 30-year-old former test captain averages 63.24 and has 25 test centuries. He is the leading run scorer in the series so far with 378, averaging 126.00.

In just three innings, he has two centuries — 144 and 142 in the first test at Edgbaston, where he almost singlehandedly led Australia to a 251-run win — and 92 in his injury-interrupted innings in the drawn second test.