Head tons up after Warner blow

Australia vice-captain David Warner passed a concussion test after retiring hurt from a blow to the side of the neck on day two of this intra-squad match in Darwin, however whether he takes part in the remainder of the contest will be decided on Wednesday morning.

South Australia captain Travis Head made a fine 104 to steer the Warner XI to 3-179 in their second innings, while bowlers Pat Cummins (23) and Nathan Lyon (40) also spent some valuable time in the middle against the Steve Smith XI, who earlier declared at 6-181 after captain Smith top-scored with 84 retired.  

But the talking point of the middle day of this three-day clash at Marrara Oval was Warner, and the nasty knock he received from a Josh Hazlewood bouncer. 

The opener had moved to two from 14 deliveries before he was felled, dropping his bat before walking off with team doctor Richard Saw by his side, shaken but seemingly OK. 

Speaking after play, paceman Cummins confirmed Warner had recovered after being assessed by Saw and applying ice to the injury.

"It's good that Davey's fine," Cummins said. "He's a little bit stiff and sore, but just speaking to him then, he's all fine. It's only a practice match so he might or might not be out there tomorrow but he seems to be in pretty good shape."

It's understood Warner's involvement on day three will depend on how he wakes up on Wednesday, and whether he has sufficient range of movement around his neck to take part in proceedings.

Head meanwhile, again highlighted his class as one of Australia's best young batsmen, moving relatively untroubled to his hundred, with the exception of one chance he offered when he top-edged a Mitch Swepson delivery to midwicket, and Glenn Maxwell made a meal of a relatively straightforward chance.

Image Id: 9F8BEF5D9B70439A8A5B166AB887A00A Image Caption: Travis Head scored a ton // Getty

Leg-spinner Swepson (0-34) was much tidier than he had been in the first innings, and was unlucky not to have a couple of wickets, inducing several top edges throughout a fairly sedate afternoon's play. 

Hazlewood was again impressive on a pitch that offered some up-and-down bounce for the fast bowlers, and the NSW quick trapped Cummins lbw with one that kept a little low. 

Lyon played positively for 40 from 54 balls before becoming the lone wicket for Glenn Maxwell (1-22 off 9), who opened the bowling with Cummins as the Australians looked to replicate the likely tactics of Bangladesh, who have previously enjoyed some success opening the bowling with young off-spinner Mehedi Hasan.   

Earlier, Australia captain Smith spent the morning session getting accustomed to a subcontinent-style pitch before retiring at the lunch break. 

Image Id: 140B6FAB33464096B97CF25E6563D8C2 Image Caption: Steve Smith was impressive // Getty

The Smith XI resumed at 2-32 in reply to the Warner XI's 6-360 declared, and Smith and Maxwell (45) spent the first hour of the morning facing Cummins from one end, and the spin of Agar and Nathan Lyon from the other. 

Cummins bowled a fast, hostile spell on a wicket that offered him little assistance, at one point striking Maxwell and generally hurrying the Victorian, who nonetheless kept the scoreboard ticking over. 

The pair put together the most meaningful stand of the innings to date with a minimum of fuss, Maxwell's six over wide midwicket off Lyon one of few shots in anger across the opening stanza of the day. 

Image Id: 26FB61C3A38A46E9BD9AE383C53BD5A0 Image Caption: Maxwell shared a key partnership with Smith // Getty

Agar and Lyon appeared to find conditions a little more helpful to their craft than they had been yesterday, and it was the latter who made the breakthrough, bowling Maxwell shortly after drinks. 

Smith upped the ante shortly before lunch, hitting Agar for four straight down the ground then freeing his arms and hitting him through cover for consecutive boundaries shortly thereafter. 

Scoreboard summary
 Close of play day two

David Warner XI 6dec-360 (Handscomb 105, Weatherald 96, Cartwright 81; Hazlewood 2-30, Smith 2-52) and 3-179 (Head 104no; Hazlewood 1-14, Maxwell 1-22) against Steve Smith XI 6dec-181 (Smith 84 retired, Maxwell 45).

Steve Smith XI: Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Mitch Swepson, Josh Hazlewood, Tom Andrews, Jackson Bird.

David Warner XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Hilton Cartwright, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Agar, Jake Weatherald, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Jon Holland.

Australia in Bangladesh 2017

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade.

Bangladesh squad (preliminary): Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, Liton Kumar Das, Mominul Haque, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Subhashish Roy, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Rubel Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Sanjamul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mohammad Saifuddin, Anamul Haque, Abul Hasan Raju, Al Amin Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Muktar Ali, Tanbir Haider, Saqlain Sajib, Shafiul Islam.

11-17 August Australia pre-tour training camp, Darwin

18 August Australia arrive

22-23 August Tour match, Fatullah

27-31 August First Test, Dhaka

4-8 September Second Test, Chittagong