- England will face Australia in their first Champions Trophy match on Saturday
- Jamie Smith has been picked to bat at three and keep wicket after injury
Jamie Smith will keep wicket and bat at number three for England against Australia on Saturday after overcoming a calf injury.
Surrey’s Smith reclaims the gloves from Phil Salt at the start of the Champions Trophy campaign, having handed them over midway through the third Twenty20 against India last month.
Durham fast bowler Brydon Carse also returns to action following a toe injury that required stitches, meaning that England enter a tournament they have never previously won with a clean bill of health.
On Wednesday, Ben Duckett, who was troubled by a groin niggle at the end of the tour of India, declared his availability after coming through a training session at the Gadaffi Stadium.
England captain Jos Buttler remains at number six, the position he switched to for the last defeat in a 3-0 whitewash to the Indians, following the surprise decision to promote Smith up the order.
Smith’s new role sees Joe Root remain at four, the same position he batted in the final match in India.
England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith will return from England to face Australia on Saturday
Ben Duckett is set to open after suffering his own injury scare in India last week
Brydon Carse (left) was battling a toe injury in India but has been cleared to play
He had batted at three in the previous two games before dropping a place to accommodate Tom Banton who was added to the England squad to replace the injured Jacob Bethell.
Banton misses out for the Champions Trophy opener, and is joined on the sidelines by Saqib Mahmood, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton.
