Soft Kiwi return for Smith and Warner

An Australian XI, likely to include Steve Smith and David Warner, will face a weakened New Zealand outfit captained by Tom Latham in May as part of their World Cup preparations, Fox Sports reported.

The three Cricket World Cup warm-up matches are expected to be a double-act for the returns of Smith and Warner to the national set-up. The duo would be returning after ending year-long bans for ball-tampering which expire last month.

Smith and Warner met up with their Australia teammates last month during their series against Pakistan in Dubai, following invitation from coach Justin Langer as part of their re-integration after the scandal in South Africa.

Apart from Latham, the others in the side who will play the World Cup in England are batsman Henry Nicholls, all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, seamer Matt Henry and backup wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who is yet to play a one-day international.