Smith ready for new era

It is Australia’s first 50-over fixture since beating New Zealand in the World Cup final in March, while Smith will be leading the team for the first time following the worldwide retirement of Michael Clarke after the 3-2 Ashes defeat.

Australia play the world’s tenth-ranked one-day nation in Belfast in a match that will officially open Smith’s stint in the role often referred to as the second-most important position in the country – behind only the prime minister.

After playing all five Tests of the Ashes and the two preceding Tests in the Caribbean this winter, there was doubt whether Starc would play at Stormont with a T20 and five-match ODI series against England to follow. “They are a team in transition which means they’ll be hungry, but I think they’ll be quite nervous about the game also, or certainly some of their players will”.

“He’s played a lot of cricket, Smith said”.

“The last time this group was together, we won a World Cup, so I don’t think we have to change a whole heap”.

The matchup against one of world cricket’s minnows appeared to be the ideal opportunity for Starc to take a break, but Australia have instead gone with their full-strength lineup. “I think for us now, it’s just about raising that bar and continuing to get better each day”.

Ireland, however, have a deserved reputation as giant-killers, although they are yet to beat Australia.

Eight members of the 15-man limited-overs squad, including uncapped trio Joe Burns, Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis, have been flown in specifically for the one-day component of the tour, which starts on Thursday with a ODI clash with Ireland in Belfast.

‘We’ve got to continue to raise the bar, we’re number one in the world, but everyone’s going to be after us so we’re going to have to keep improving to stay in that spot’. Smith’s men then face their Ashes conquerors in a five-match ODI series starting in Southampton on September 3.

“You’ve seen Rod Marsh (chief selector) say it before – if you’re scoring runs at the one-day worldwide level, you can put your hand up for other formats of the game as well”.

After the ODI against Ireland, Australia will head to Cardiff to play England in the lone Twenty20 worldwide on the 31st of August.