Smith resists calls to swap Nevill, Marsh

Australia's captain Steven Smith has shown he is his own man by resisting calls to switch Mitchell Marsh and Peter Nevill in the Test batting order. Advocates of the change had included the selector Mark Waugh, and the coach Darren Lehmann had flagged a move by saying he had discussed it with Smith in Adelaide.

Nevill has batted at No. 6 for New South Wales in recent times, while Marsh's uncertainty as a batsman has been in contrast to his burgeoning displays as a seam bowler. However Smith ultimately decided to keep the pair in their previously allotted roles, conscious of allowing Nevill to maintain his current upward trend while also imbuing Marsh with confidence ahead of a series against West Indies, in which he may yet stretch his wings.

To swap Nevill and Marsh would have been an admission of middle-order weakness ahead of a Test match in Hobart where the tourists have already noted multiple times that they can see opportunities for wickets beyond the imposing records of Smith and David Warner in the top three of the batting order. Significantly, Smith's mentor Brad Haddin argued against such a move in the lead-up to the match, advocating Marsh's development in the No. 6 role.

"Nup, same order," Smith said matter-of-factly when asked if there would be a change. "We think Mitch has a very bright future. We'd obviously like him to score a few more runs and I think he knows that as well and he's been working extremely hard on his game in the nets, and it looks like it is coming together pretty well.

"So, he can gain a lot of confidence out of the way he played in the second innings at Adelaide. He doesn't need to do anything different to that; go out and play his natural game and hopefully score some runs for us in this Test match.

"If it's there to hit, go after it and, if not, maybe playing it with a little bit softer hands so the nicks maybe won't carry. He's been going quite hard at the ball and I know that's something he's been working on. So, if it's there, go at it and just continue to play your natural game and back your instincts, I think that's the best advice I can give him."

James Pattinson was also recalled in place of the injured Mitchell Starc, for his first Test appearance since Cape Town in March last year. In the nets this week Pattinson has been a figure of some menace, striking Joe Burns a stunning blow on the upper shoulder.

"I think he's played enough, he's been bowling really well in the nets as well, and he deserves an opportunity and I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes," Smith said of Pattinson. "I think he just needs to go out, do what he does well and that's bowl fast and swing the ball, get up there and try to get it moving.

"He's a quality bowler. He bowls at 150kph when he has got everything together, so he brings that sort of x-factor to the team. He's got a lot of aggression, he's not afraid to show that, which is a great attribute, and hopefully he can have a successful comeback to the Australian team. I think he's pretty similar to Josh Hazlewood in the way he bowls and hopefully those two can lead our attack really well."

The Bellerive Oval pitch has retained its liberal grass coverage all week, though it is somewhat less green than it appeared when the teams arrived in Hobart. Smith pointed out with some frankness that Australia's recent record on pitches affording movement off the seam and through the air was none too impressive, and said he wanted a ruthless display against a West Indies team that looks badly outmatched.

"There's a little bit of grass on it so the seamers will get a little bit out of it and the batters are going to have to step up," he said. "I think we've been a little bit disappointing in the past couple of months when the wicket has been doing a little bit. Hopefully we can learn from that and keep improving.

"We want to win this series 3-0. I wouldn't read too much into the way the tour match went for West Indies. I still think they have got some quality players and we are going to have to be at our best if we want to win this series 3-0. Look, it is going to be a tough series and hopefully our boys can continue playing the way they have been this summer."