Smith skips second training session

Australia say captain Steve Smith will play against South Africa on Monday morning (AEST) despite sitting out training for the second consecutive day due to a thigh problem.

Having watched on during a two-hour fielding session in Barbados on Friday, Smith was again a bystander for the team's main training session on Saturday.

The skipper experienced tightness in his right quad early in his innings against the West Indies in St Kitts last Tuesday and had his leg strapped by physiotherapist David Beakley during the match.

But he was clearly unaffected during the game at Warner Park, posting a polished 74 before fielding during the run chase.

The fact that Smith, a tireless worker who is often the last member of the squad to finish training, has skipped two sessions in a row in unusual.

He had been expected to bat at Saturday's training but despite missing out again, he's confident of batting in the nets on Sunday and is considered in no doubt for the match against the Proteas.

"I know it's all precautionary and he'll be ready to go for Sunday's clash," said fast-bowler Mitchell Starc.

"I'm sure he's raring to go and to hit a few cricket balls."

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With opener David Warner already ruled out of the series due to a finger injury, Australia can ill afford to lose another of their key batsmen as they look to secure their place in the ODI tri-series final.

No replacement player was called for following Warner's injury, with the long travel time to the Caribbean and the fact Australia still has 15 fit players to choose from enough to convince selectors that reinforcements weren't needed.

Smith and fellow top-order stars Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and vice-captain George Bailey will carry the bulk of the batting load for the rest of the series while rookie Travis Head, allrounders Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner as well as wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will feature in the middle and lower order.

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Should another batsman suffer a series-ending injury, the fact there's a little more than a week until the final would make it difficult for a player to make the long journey from Australia and adjust to the Caribbean in time to have a meaningful impact on the series.

In the unlikely situation that a replacement player is needed, selectors could well look to the United Kingdom – a comparatively short nine-hour journey away – where the likes of Test batsman Adam Voges and in-form veteran Michael Klinger are playing county cricket.

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Smith, coach Justin Langer and selector-on-duty Trevor Hohns engaged in a lengthy conversation at training on Saturday, with Starc in line to return against the Proteas having been rested for the loss to the Windies.

Australia's place in the tri-series final is far from secure with all three teams holding a record of two wins and two losses from four matches.

A loss to South Africa early on Monday morning (3am AEST, Fox Sports 4) would leave the Australians needing to beat the Windies 48 hours later to keep their fate in their own hands.

The Proteas and Windies will face-off in the final preliminary match on June 25 before the final two days later.