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Flexibility key to middle-order success, say Aussies

A deliberately reactive approach to the match situation means Australia's middle-order batters will be ready to perform at any point of an innings

Australia's decision to shake up their batting order during their 12-run loss to South Africa in Port Elizabeth is a sign of things to come leading up to this year's T20 World Cup.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey batted at No.6 in the series opener in Johannesburg but was elevated to No.4 at St George's Park, swapping places with Matthew Wade.

Assistant coach Andrew McDonald said the decision to elevate Carey was made by coach Justin Langer and captain Aaron Finch during the run chase with the aim of countering the impressive spell of Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

And he said Australia's new-look middle order have been told they need to be prepared to walk to the crease at any moment during an innings.

"We felt that was the right move at the right time and Justin and Aaron pulled that move," McDonald said.

"Hindsight will tell you whether it was right or wrong.

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"Wadey's quite flexible; we've seen throughout his career that he's batted anywhere between one and seven. So we feel as though he had the flexibility to finish off the innings with Mitch Marsh and that's the way we went today.

"It was seen that Shamsi was in some way controlling the tempo of the game through the middle overs there so that move was made. The move only happens when you lose a wicket.

"(Carey) went in and the view was that he was the best player of the spin in the middle overs to do that."

McDonald pointed to the opening match of Australia's home summer, when Glenn Maxwell was moved ahead of Steve Smith to No.3 after David Warner and Aaron Finch had made a rollicking start to the innings, as an example of the need for Australia's batters to adjust during an innings.

"Justin wants the players to be flexible," he said. "We're training them to be flexible and most of the time, these guys have batted in all different situations and positions in the order.

"We feel as though we've got that flexibility and probably the two that are locked in are Warner and Finch at the top and I daresay Steve Smith will be unlikely to move.

"But we'll be flexible between four, five and six and I don't think that'd be any different in Cape Town (for the third match of the series), depending on the situation."

Having helped guide Australia to an imposing total in Johannesburg, the re-cast middle order fell short at St George's Park on what was a wearing wicket that became more difficult to bat on as the innings progressed.

Carey had forecast the pressure of a run chase would be a greater test of how he, Wade and Marsh can combine together, and McDonald said the experience will only make them better as they look to secure their spots for this year's World Cup.

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"I think exposure to those situations more often grows experience and with experience comes the ability to execute," he said.

"Today we didn't quite get that right.

"The T20 games generally go with a flow of losing wickets and your middle-order does have some work to do.

"We saw at the Wanderers the other day that they had some work to do and they were able to do that, batting first. Clearly batting second on a tiring surface is a totally different situation.

"They'll be no doubt better for that experience as we grow and build towards the T20 World Cup."

Australia will fly to Cape Town on Monday ahead of the T20 series-decider at Newlands early on Thursday morning AEDT.

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: Australia won by 107 runs

Second T20: South Africa won by 12 runs

Third T20: February 26 at Cape Town. 3am AEDT (Feb 27), Fox Cricket & Kayo

First ODI: February 29 at Paarl (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo