Australian Captain Steve Smith looking for response from his team

Australian Captain Steve Smith looking for response from his team 

Reigning world champions Australia, who have won just one of their last 10 completed ODIs, could unleash their Test pace attack at the SCG, with Pat Cummins, who was rested at the Gabba, and Josh Hazlewood, who was ill, poised to join Mitchell Starc in the XI.

"I don't know the answer, I wish I did," said Smith when asked about Australia's recent ODI struggles.

"In the last 10 games we have actually got ourselves into some reasonable positions and we just haven't been able to take advantage of them. We're still trying to find the right balance.

"I definitely think I have got a lot of room for improvement. I don't think I have been playing one-day cricket as I could for the last couple of series.

"I have pretty high expectations of myself, and I haven't been living up to them recently. I have got to start nailing it down. I have got a few starts but I haven't been going on with them."

Australia saw their totals of 304-8 and 270-9 topped by England in Melbourne and Brisbane respectively as the tourists eased into a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Smith, a run machine in the Ashes with 687 in five Tests at an average of 137.40, has fallen to spin for 23 and 18 in the first two ODIs and is eager to start "nailing it down" in the one-day format.

Source: skysports.com