Curran to make test debut for England; Smith has sore hand

Published Dec. 25, 2017 2:39 a.m. ET

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) England paceman Tom Curran will make his test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia on Tuesday, replacing the injured Craig Overton, who has a fractured rib.

England skipper Joe Root says South-African born Curran is a ''feisty character'' with an impressive work ethic.

Curran, an uncapped right-arm bowler, was only added to England's Ashes squad when Steve Finn was ruled out at the start of the tour due to injury.

The 22-year-old Curran played a one-day international and three Twenty20 matches for England earlier this year.

''Sometimes as a captain you have to go with your gut,'' Root said Monday. ''It was a close call. He's obviously worked extremely hard, as has everyone else. You know you're always going to get absolutely everything out of him.''

Australia regained the Ashes with a win in the third test at Perth.

Meanwhile, a sore hand may force Australia captain Steve Smith to tweak his approach during the fourth test.

Smith was on the wrong end of a freakish injury scare on Sunday when a ball driven by Cameron Bancroft burst over the nets and struck him on the right hand. Smith, waiting to bat at the time, wasn't wearing gloves.

Smith, who boasts a test average of 127.6 at the MCG after posting centuries in the past three Boxing Day games, had a short hit on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Smith admitted he still wasn't 100 percent.

''It was a little bit sore today playing a few different shots,'' he said Monday. ''But I'll be able to deal with it and I'll get on with it. Maybe I'll just have to use a bit more of my top hand throughout the game, a bit less wristy.''

Australia has replaced left-handed fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who has a bruised right foot, with Jackson Bird.

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Lineups:

Australia: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.