'Takes me two hits' - Smith already feels in the Ashes groove as captaincy looms

Steven Smith had his first hit against bowlers since the Hundred finished in late August on Tuesday, but declared he was already "ready" for the Ashes after his break in New York.

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Steven Smith speaks to reporters as he ramps up his Ashes preparation

Smith, who is set to captain Australia in the first Test due to Pat Cummins' back injury, returned to Sydney last week and had three nets against throw-downs before facing the New South Wales attack during training at Cricket Central as he ramps up towards the start of the Ashes.

He will play two Sheffield Shield matches - against Queensland at the Gabba and Victoria at the SCG before facing England - but believed he was already good to go having in recent times found downtime from the game more profitable than endless training or extra matches.

Unlike earlier in the year when he was recovering from a finger injury sustained in the World Test Championship final and left the tour of West Indies, Smith did not hunt out a baseball cage in New York and only picked up a bat on his return home.