Nevill open to batting promotion

Peter Nevill is open to a promotion in Australia’s batting order ahead of Mitchell Marsh, as the captain Steven Smith and the coach Darren Lehmann ponder how to get the best out of a middle-order duo who are yet to place their stamp on a Test match with the bat.

As highlighted by the selection chairman Rod Marsh’s reference to Jackson Bird’s batting as a factor in his non-selection, Australia need to find a way to get more out of their lower-order batting on the days when the top five do not make the desired tallies of runs.

It was a weakness exploited ruthlessly by Sri Lanka’s spinners during their recent clean sweep of a Test series, and a South African attack led by Dale Steyn will be eager to do likewise down under, this time with pace. Neither Marsh (averaging 24 after 18 Tests) nor Nevill (20.88 after 15 Tests) have been able to impose themselves, too often opening the door to the Australian tail.

While conventional wisdom has it that allrounders tend to bat at No. 6 and wicketkeepers at No. 7, Nevill and Marsh appear stylistically suited in opposite roles. Nevill’s busy but not overly histrionic batting has been most successful at No. 6 for New South Wales, where he averages 42.73 with six centuries and a highest score of 235 not out.

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