Marcus Harris and Beau Webster make statements as forgotten Aussie Test star shines again

Former Australian opener Marcus Harris has reminded selectors of his credentials, blasting an impressive 62 in Victoria's pink-ball Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland. The failure of Australia's top order in the thrashing by India in the first Test in Perth has provided an opportunity for batters in the domestic scene to knock down the door of selectors.

Harris, who missed out on the vacant Test opener spot for game one, had made 469 runs for Victoria and Australia A this summer at an average of 46.9 leading into his second innings knock. More hefty scores are what the 32-year-old needs to add to his 14 Tests, and he brought up a half century on Monday and looked in top form.

Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are all under pressure to retain their spot in the Test side after serious dips in form, while Nathan McSweeney also fell short in his debut as an opener. McSweeney has faced a brutal start to his Test career, falling cheaply in both innings in his debut.

He'd never opened at Sheffield Shield level and many felt George Bailey and Andrew McDonald were throwing him to the wolves. Instead of rewarding the form of Cameron Bancroft or reinstating Harris as the opener, much like last summer when they moved Smith up the order to open against the West Indies and then New Zealand, Australian selectors opted to go with a non-traditional opener.

However, selectors may opt to go back to Harris and drop McSweeney down the order in place of Smith or Labuschagne, who both look out of sorts with the bat. On Monday, Smith fell cheaply again for 17. He has now only scored 68 runs in six innings and across the last 18 months, Smith has scored 623 runs for an average of 37.

While Labuschagne is averaging just 30.28 in Test cricket since February last year. And a look at his last 10 innings shows just how badly out of form he is. Labushcagne's scored 10, 1 not out, 3, 5, 1, 2, 90, 6, 2 and 3 for an average of just 13.66 across that period. Away from Harris, reserve batter Josh Inglis is also waiting in the wings for the Aussies if selectors do decide to swing the axe.

Kurtis Patterson emerges as Australian Test option

Another option selectors will surely consider is New South Welshman Kurtis Patterson. Patterson is starting to make a strong selection case, after bringing up a 99 on Monday - his fourth straight score above 50 since being recalled to the NSW team.

A Test player who scored a century in his last match back in 2019, the left-hander has made scores of 91, 66, 71 and 99 this summer. And veteran commentator Andrew Voss believes he should be given a chance to open the batting in the second Test against Adelaide.

"I think Kurtis Patterson has put his hand up," Voss said on SEN radio on Monday. "Maybe the selectors look at these latest innings and see what he's got. At 31, could he be a bloke that plays a few years in the Test side? Scores of 91, 66 and then 99 yesterday."

Beau Webster's all-round capabilities on show

Meanwhile, Beau Webster also sent a timely reminder of his all-round capabilities, posting a half-century and taking three top-order wickets in Tasmania's Sheffield Shield clash with NSW. Webster stole the show on day two, with his runs and wickets coming in the background of Australia's first Test embarrassment against India.

While most of the talk is around dropping Labuschagne and bringing in a traditional opener, a serious case can be made for Webster, who would also help pick up some of the bowling workload to ease the pressure on Australia's ageing pace attack and fellow allrounder Mitch Marsh. The Tasmanian was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last summer, and his 61 on Monday helped take his red-ball season record to 401 runs at 57.29. Included in that are unbeaten scores of 61 and 41 for Australia A against India A in the past month.

Webster brought up his 50 off 66 balls on Monday, after two cover drives went to the rope early in the day against Jackson Bird. Another boundary came from a clever paddle-sweep off Adam Zampa before he was caught behind off Bird shortly after lunch.

The other factor in Webster's favour is the overs he can offer with the ball as both a seamer and spinner. The 30-year-old trapped Maddinson lbw for 34 on Monday with his medium-pace, before having Oliver Davies and Patterson caught behind in his 3-56. He also saw two catches go down off his bowling.

Mitch Marsh pulls up sore from first Test defeat

The added workload Marsh had to pick up in the first Test, has resulted in the 33-year-old pulling up tardy, sparking more need to add additional figures to the Australian bowling attack. Marsh has barely bowled this year due to a series of niggles, but he racked up 17 overs across two innings in Perth. The 33-year-old picked up 2-12 off five overs in India's first innings, before toiling for 1-65 off 12 in the second innings as the visitors declared at 6-487.

Aussie captain Pat Cummins said his body will be closely monitored in the lead-up to Adelaide to see if he can bowl in Adelaide. "He's (been) battling a couple of little niggles since the UK tour," Cummins said.

"So the main thing is he's in there as one of the top six batters in the country and bowling is a bonus. He was a little bit sore towards the end of this Test match. In the next 10 days, a chance to freshen up try and get it right. We'll see how he goes. Ideally, he would be able to bowl in each Test match."

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But Webster believes even with the Marsh situation, Aussie selectors are stuck in their ways and says he feels he is unlikely to get the call-up. "It seems like they are pretty traditional with three quicks, spin and allrounder for a lot of years," Webster said.

"Those big three quicks are very hardened and bowl a lot of overs, and Nathan is unbelievable (with his workload). That's usually the way they go, I don't see them going any other way. My way in is if someone does need a rest, or God forbid an injury. You never wish that on anyone. But that is a way I might find my way in the squad at least."

with AAP