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Smith allays fears on injured right elbow

Australia batsman is looking forward to final IPL match ahead of meeting up with national teammates in Brisbane on Thursday

Steve Smith has confirmed there's no ill effects from his heavy landing on the elbow still recovering from surgery as he prepares for his final IPL game before linking up with Australia's World Cup squad. 

Smith sent a scare through the Australian camp when the Rajasthan Royals captain dove to take a sensational outfield catch in their match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and landed awkwardly on the right elbow that underwent major surgery in mid-January. 

"All good, I just landed on it quite heavily, more heavily than I had landed on it previously," Smith said in Bengaluru ahead of his side's game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"From the surgery I have still got some scar tissue and stuff in there and just the impact of the landing affected it a little bit, but there is nothing wrong with it, all good."

Smith's output with the bat has improved as the tournament has gone on as he sheds the understandable rust from the surgery, but has played key knocks in the past two wins for Rajasthan as the side makes a late charge for the IPL playoffs. 

"I think I have probably taken a little while to sort of warm into things again," Smith admitted. 

"The start of the tournament did not go as well as I would have liked, personally or collectively as a group. 

"But I think the more I have padded up, the better I have felt as the tournament has gone on. I've been able to contribute to a couple of wins in the last two matches and felt very good."

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And while his form is on an upward trend, Smith is still yet to be able to throw with his full power and has been restricted to close fielding positions in the IPL, although that too is fast improving. 

"Obviously I was a little bit restricted in throwing at the start of the tournament, and I have gradually built it throughout to where I have been able to field at more hot spots – at mid-off more and things like that," Smith said. 

"I haven't gone out of the circle, but I have still been involved more in the game, which has been nice. 

"I think just the loads from batting and stuff is good for the elbow to keep the rehab ticking along. It's all going really well, I am happy with that. 

"I am throwing at probably 70 or 80 per cent. A couple of weeks and I should be back to throwing at 100 per cent."

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After tonight's game Smith will fly to Brisbane where Australia's World Cup squad is assembling ahead of their first training session at the Bupa National Cricket Centre and Allan Border Field on Friday. 

That will make the first official involvement with the Australian team Smith and David Warner will have had since they were banned for 12 months for their role in the Cape Town ball tampering scandal last March. 

An Australian XI will play three unofficial and low-key 50-over matches against a New Zealand XI from a squad of 15 that includes only five of the Black Caps' World Cup squad (the rest remain with their IPL or county sides). 

The matches will not carry official status and will not be live-streamed, but there will be extensive highlights available on cricket.com.au, and Smith said the games would be key to fine-tuning for the World Cup.

"Preparation-wise I'm really comfortable. I head home and we have three matches against New Zealand and a couple of warm-up matches when we get to England. Plenty of time to prepare and be ready to play," Smith said. 

"I think T20 cricket almost prepares you well for 50-over cricket nowadays, the way the game is played. Fifty overs is almost an extended version of T20.

"The game has evolved particularly over the past few years. I think its good preparation personally for me to be able to play and just spend time in the middle in white ball cricket against quality opposition."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton

May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton

June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)

June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge

June 9: India v Australia, The Oval

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE