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Race for No.6 wide open, says Howard

Selectors to go for best batting option at fourth-drop with bowling ability a bonus, according to CA Team Performance chief

The race for Australia's No.6 Test spot is wide open, with Cricket Australia Team Performance boss Pat Howard confirming the role is a batting position first and foremost and any extra skills "won't hurt". 

Western Australia's Hilton Cartwright is the Test incumbent having batted at fourth-drop in Australia's last Test in Chittagong, while Victorian Glenn Maxwell - who moved up to No.5 in that match - held the spot in the previous three matches before Cartwright's recall. 

But with the Magellan Ashes only a month away, both Maxwell and Cartwright are back in the pack of contenders who will have three rounds of JLT Sheffield Shield cricket to push their case ahead of the Gabba Test. 

While the No.6 spot has been reserved for the team's allrounder in the past, it now appears the focus has shifted to picking a specialist batsman, and if he can bowl some overs it's a bonus. 

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"The No.6, I'm really positive about," Howard said. 

"It's a really open race, much like it was between Hobart and Adelaide (last summer) and there's pressure on the domestic competition to perform. 

"We want the players to know there is pressure. If you can turn up here at the start of the Sheffield Shield season there is an opportunity to put yourself in the frame. 

"The role is a batting role first and any skills after that are more than welcome. 

"(The selectors) are looking for that and that multi-faceted ability won't hurt."

The No.6 spot has been a serious issue for Australia since the retirement of champion batsman Mike Hussey at the end of the 2012-13 summer. 

Thirteen players have been tried in the position since Hussey's departure (excluding one-offs caused by a nightwatchman), with only two centuries scored in 87 innings; Steve Smith in 2014 and Maxwell in Ranchi in March this year.

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Couple that output at No.6 with Australia's bad case of batting collapses and it's clear why the position has been something of a revolving door.

But Howard remains upbeat and while he's not shying away from the batting collapses, he doesn't expect to see that problem with the Australians back on home soil.

"It's obviously something that we're aware of in both Tests and limited-overs," he said. 

"Our six and seven had the second and third highest averages on the Indian tour. 

"We're aware that this is an area that needs to improve both in terms of mental space and coming home. 

"In saying that the top five have been batting very, very well at home. 

"We've just had nine Tests in the last 12 months in conditions that we need to get better in and I do think we've got better in them. 

"I look at Pune and Chittagong and Ranchi (where Australia held on 100 overs in the fourth innings to save the match). Ranchi is something I'm particularly proud of. It was a positive sign. 

"Both the Ashes and the South Africa Test series are in conditions we're far more comfortable in but at the same stage we've got to improve in those (spinning conditions). 

"Looking ahead I think it's been very open to say there's a lot of competition on for positions six and seven to deal with (collapses) … and (selectors are) looking for people to stand up and address it."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series


First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets


Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets


Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets


Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets


Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets


ODI Series v England


First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets


Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets


Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets


Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets


Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF


Prime Minister's XI


PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets


T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series


First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets


Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets


Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets


Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13


Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16


Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18


Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21