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Dream alive: Stoinis proves fitness to retain World Cup spot

Nottingham: Marcus Stoinis overcame his make-or-break World Cup moment on Tuesday night and will remain with the Australian squad.

The powerful allrounder bowled off his full run at training at Trent Bridge in a bid to show he had overcome a low-grade side strain, which had ruled him out of the past two matches, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Australia's Marcus Stoinis bowls during the Cricket World Cup match between India and Australia at the Oval in London.

Australia's Marcus Stoinis bowls during the Cricket World Cup match between India and Australia at the Oval in London.Credit:AP

Under the watchful eye of the team's medical staff and bowling coach Adam Griffith, Stoinis was given a net away from the main group. He warmed up with a few deliveries off his shorter run before coming off his long run spearing the ball down at, or near, full pace for a dozen deliveries.

He then chatted with coach Justin Langer and joined the main nets, where he bowled briefly before leaving the field. He returned and batted.

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Langer said Stoinis was a "chance" to even play on Thursday.

"It looked like he moved really well batting,so he is a chance," he said.

"We have been monitoring him. He is an elite athlete, isn't he? Elite professional, elite athlete. He has done everything possible to get himself fit. He wouldn't give up the opportunity for anything, would be? He is very determined so it doesn't surprise me where he at now.

"It's a credit to him, it's a credit to our medical staff for getting him so, hopefully, he can have a real impact on the tournament."

If Stoinis had failed to bowl, he was likely to be immediately replaced by Mitch Marsh, who has been on standby to officially join the 15-man squad and was under the impression he would either play against Bangladesh on Thursday or rejoin the Australia A squad in time for its opening tour match, also on Thursday.

One option is to give Stoinis a few more days rest and have him in mint condition for next week's marquee clash against England at Lord's.

Stoinis' hopes were buoyed on Monday when, before two journalists, a sprinkling of school children and security officers, he had taken to the nets in a secret session, at a time team management had insisted was a second day off for the world champions.

That was the case for most players but The Age-Sydney Morning Herald was one of only two outlets on hand as Stoinis, Marsh and Nathan Coulter-Nile held a session that lasted almost two hours.

Stoinis bowled about two dozen deliveries, lifting from slow to medium pace, and was in regular consultation with Griffith, physical performance coach Aaron Kellett and team doctor Richard Saw. The hard-hitting allrounder then spent almost an hour batting, and did not really want to leave the nets when facing five young local bowlers.

Coulter-Nile, returning to the scene of his match-winning heroics against the West Indies, bowled off his full run up, and appeared over any niggles that had led to him being rested against Sri Lanka.

Australia are wary of a Bangladesh side that claimed an upset win over South Africa and stormed to a seven-wicket victory over the West Indies on Tuesday, completing their highest run chase ever in overhauling the 322 needed for victory.

Allrounder Shakib Al Hasan posted his second-straight century and now has 384 runs at 128 for the tournament – passing Aaron Finch into top spot.

While they boast a 4-1 tournament record, the Australians admit they have yet to discover their best XI. This was not helped by the injury to Stoinis, leaving tRead More – Source

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