England trio welcome return of Aussie pair

It would have been no surprise if news of Australia's decision to recall Steve Smith and David Warner for the World Cup following the pair's year-long ball-tampering bans had been met with collective outrage in England.

After all, some of the loudest shouts of condemnation of their actions during the now infamous Cape Town Test last March – not to mention the most enthusiastic consumers of schadenfreude – came from the UK.

However, Cricket Australia, as well as Smith and Warner, have received support from unexpected quarters, including two current England internationals and one prominent former captain.

Nasser Hussain, who has forged a reputation as a forthright and influential cricket analyst on Sky TV in the UK since ending his playing career in 2004, was the first to back Australia's decision to recall Smith and Warner.

Speaking at an event in London to promote the World Cup and Unicef's joint OneDay4Children campaign, Hussain, who played 96 Tests and 88 ODIs for England, told cricket.com.au: "They've done the crime and served the time. Some people would say a year's too long or wasn't long enough. They've done it, people make mistakes, move on.

"Are Australia a better side with Warner and Smith in it? Of course they are. Will it be an easy and comfortable dressing-room to go into? Someone's going to be very disappointed because there are two lads who would have played some very good cricket recently and that would have been a very difficult phone call to make: 'You've done really well but we're getting Smith and Warner back'. Would I have picked Smith and Warner? Absolutely. They're two very fine cricketers."

Chris Woakes and Alex Hales, both named in England's preliminary World Cup squad last Wednesday, were also complimentary.

Hales, noting Australia's recent upturn in form following successive away ODI series wins against India and Pakistan, even sounded worried about how big a threat the defending champions will be to England's hopes of winning a first World Cup on home soil this northern summer.

"I guess when you see an Australian team finding form it is reason to take them very seriously," he said. "They are a strong team and with Warner and Smith coming back that adds to it.

"To have just gone and beaten India and Pakistan away means no-one will be taking them lightly whatsoever, especially adding Smith and Warner back to that mix. I think they could be a really formidable outfit and I'm sure they'll fancy their chances of defending the World Cup."

Woakes caused headlines in the UK earlier this week when he was quoted as saying it could be considered "morally unfair" to call Barbados-born fast bowler Jofra Archer, who qualified for England only last month, into the hosts' final World Cup squad.

But the Warwickshire seamer, who is likely to play a major role in both the World Cup and Ashes this northern summer, was far more magnanimous on Australia's returning duo. "Players of the quality of Warner and Smith, I think they'd have been silly not to include them from a playing point of view," said Woakes.

"From a cultural point of view that was their call whether to bring them back or not – will it disrupt their squad and players? But if I was in their shoes, you want your strongest XI going into a World Cup and there's no doubt they are in that.

"What they did wasn't great for the game but a year out of cricket is a very long time. I think you have to learn to forgive in this world and they've done their time. Hopefully it's now time to move on and I hope for their sakes they let their cricket do the talking."

English fans may not be as welcoming over the coming weeks, but Australia and their two returning talismans at least know not everyone will be against them when they arrive in the UK next month.

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