Cricket: Aussie skipper to move up the order

Aussie skipper Steve Smith. Photo /Getty

Expect Australian skipper Steve Smith to put himself back into his old role at No 3 in the clutch third and final test against New Zealand at Adelaide next week.

Smith, in eight tests at first wicket down, is averaging a whopping 77.41, with four hundreds. Overall he's averaging 56.08 from 35 matches.

The rationale of dropping down a spot at Brisbane for the first test was to put some air between himself and the other key Australian batsman David Warner.

The view was if both went out early it could leave Australia vulnerable.

But now Usman Khawaja, a sleeper hit in the first two tests when he scored centuries in both matches, is out with a hamstring injury. Smith has made it plain he's planning to go back where he, arguably, belongs.

Warner has hit three centuries in succession in the series and is in rousing form.

If Warner and Smith get away in Adelaide it will be damaging for New Zealand.

Then again, Warner and Khawaja, along with opener Joe Burns, have had Brendon McCullum's bowlers under the pump anyway.

New Zealand had hoped, going into the first test, that they could make a dent early against the recalled pair of Burns and Khawaja. That went pear-shaped.

But now, with lefthander Shaun Marsh recalled, on the strength of a test average of 33 in an in-and-out career, and Burns having departed for a duck in the second innings at Perth, New Zealand can see an opportunity.

However it hinges on the seamers maintaining their improvement from the second innings in Perth.

There, in totally unfavourable conditions, and after a poor display in the first test and opening day of the second, they did a strong holding job to delay Australia's declaration, and therefore contribute to the draw which keeps New Zealand alive in the rubber.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson wasn't exactly turning cartwheels at Smith's anticipated return to a spot where he's damaged teams in the last year.

But he did acknowledge there could be some upside for his team in Adelaide if they can nobble the home teams' best batsmen while the pink ball is new.

"I think that's a possibility, if we get our own game together with the ball," he said of a chance to make a big impact early in the Australian innings.

"I think that's something we really need to make improvements on in the third test because it is a real strength of ours and we haven't been able to put Australia's top order under pressure enough.

"If we do that, then yeah, that could unfold."

The struggles of Trent Boult, a new ball kingpin but returning from back issues in recent months, have not helped New Zealand's bowling cause, allied to a flat pitch in Perth which helped no bowlers on either side.

"We put a lot of good signs under pressure when we get our own shop in order. That is probably going to be our main focus," Hesson added.

With Mitchell Marsh still an unproven quantity at No 6, and his brother hot and cold at, probably, No 4, New Zealand can sense a chance.

"I think we know that if we get it right and get the ball swinging we can run through any side in the world.

"Who is at No.5 and No.6 is irrelevant to us, really. We just need to be able to create some pressure over long periods of time."