A cracking shot from Cameron Bancroft has resulted in a freakish injury scare for Steve Smith, who copped a painful blow to his right hand but is expected to play the Boxing Day Test.
Smith, who had yet to put on his batting gloves and was standing at the side of the MCG nets on Christmas Eve, was struck by a ball that Bancroft had driven in the nets.
Australia's skipper was assessed by the team doctor but cleared to have a hit.
Smith batted in obvious discomfort, recoiling his sore hand when Kookaburra hit willow, then stormed out of the nets.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong with him," Warner said.
"He was confused how it actually got there. I think we all were. It hit the top of the rail and then just flicked up.
"I was a bit worried because Smudge said 'heads' and it actually hit him. I was a bit dumbfounded."
Smith hurt the same hand earlier this summer while working on his slip catching at training.
"He said before - what's the chance of him getting hit on his sore hand," Warner said.
"He's fine."
Smith returned home from a limited-overs tour of India prior to the Ashes because of a minor shoulder injury but has since been fit and firing.
Craig Overton struck the classy right-hander on the gloves and chin with a rearing delivery at the WACA but Smith weathered the blows without fuss in a career-best knock of 239.
Smith continues to build a compelling case that he will finish Australia's best batsman since Don Bradman, having helped his side reclaim the Ashes with man-of-the-match innings in Brisbane and Perth.
The world's best batsman boasts a staggering Test average of 127.6 at the MCG, having posted centuries in the past three Boxing Day Tests.
"It's been fantastic to be involved in a few Boxing Day Tests and to have had some success in them as well," Smith said last week.
