Australia have been handed a couple of Ashes boots with Steve Smith hitting a hundred in the Sheffield Shield and captain Pat Cummins returning to bowling in the nets.

Smith - who will deputise for Cummins (back) as Australia skipper for the first Test against England in Perth from November 21 - scored 118 from 176 balls for New South Wales against Queensland.

Smith's knock in Brisbane, his first in red-ball cricket since the tour of West Indies in June and July, included 20 fours and a six and came against a Queensland side featuring likely Ashes team-mate Marnus Labuschagne.

Labuschagne, whose side are yet to bat in this game, seems poised for a Test recall, either as an opener or in his preferred No 3 spot, after hitting four hundreds in six innings for Queensland this season acros

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