Smith bets big on Maddinson’s talent

Australia’s captain Steven Smith is staking plenty on his ability to get the best out of the New South Wales left-hand batsman Nic Maddinson, as a potential match-winner among the raft of changes made to the team for the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval.

No name among the five to be included for Thursday – the others are Matt Renshaw, Pete Handscomb, Matthew Wade and Jackson Bird – stands out quite like that of Maddinson as an indicator that this is now very much Smith’s team.

On the face of it, his selection at No. 6 runs contrary to the team’s desperate need for batsmen capable of playing a long innings and toughing it out during the difficult periods that have so wrecked Smith’s chances of emerging as the winning captain across the past five Tests.

However Smith believes he has seen welcome signs of evolution in Maddinson’s methods over the past 12 months, backing a state team-mate he has known for many years to step up to the plate. In this there are distinct shades of Ricky Ponting’s faith in another destructive middle order performer – Andrew Symonds.

“I think on his day he can tear any attack apart,” Smith said of Maddinson. “I think the selectors have given him an opportunity to come in and play at No. 6, and I guess sum up the conditions and play with a bit of freedom at the same time.

“I think he has developed his defence over the last couple of years, from what I have seen he has been playing the ball a lot later and a lot more under his eyes, which is a very good …

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