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Aussies will stick with Harris for Boxing Day: Ponting

The pressure will continue to mount on opener Marcus Harris says Australia Test legend Ricky Ponting, but he believes it is too soon to make a change to the batting order

Ricky Ponting believes Marcus Harris could be playing for his Test future next week, but suggested Australia are likely to persist with the opener for at least the Boxing Day Test.

The resumption of Harris' troubles against England, and particularly Stuart Broad, across the first two Vodafone Ashes Tests has put his spot in question heading into the third match of the series at the Victorian's home ground, the MCG.

After returns of 3 and 9no at the Gabba, Harris has been caught behind off Broad in both innings during the ongoing Adelaide Test, down the leg-side for 3 in Australia's first innings and then outside edging for 23 in the second.

To Harris' chagrin, both dismissals had come via spectacular catches by Jos Buttler, while the England gloveman had dropped other, far more simple chances.

Stand-in vice-captain Travis Head stressed Harris has a big role to play for the remainder of the series, pointing out that both Brisbane and Adelaide pitches have proved challenging for top-order batters.

But asked on Sunday if it could be make-or-break for Harris' international career in Melbourne, Ponting told cricket.com.au: "Yeah, I think that's pretty fair. Quite a few Test innings now and his average just keeps going down.

"There will be questions, and the questions are probably fair enough. But to pick a guy for only two Tests and (after) he's only been out three times (would be unwarranted).

"His record is a worry, his record against England is a worry and his record against Stuart Broad is a worry. All those things taken into account, that's why those questions will be there.

"But I've just got a gut feeling that they will stick with him."

Buttler delivers fresh dose of sweet and sour behind stumps

Harris was dismissed by Broad for the fifth time on Sunday to see his career batting average drop to 22.19 from 12 Tests. Against England that figure drops to 10.66.

While he was far from alone among the visiting batters in struggling during the 2019 Ashes, Harris' modest returns in the ongoing campaign have stood out in an otherwise impressive Australian top order.

Allrounder Cameron Green (who struck an unbeaten 33 on Sunday) is the only other member of the hosts' top seven not to have made a half-century.

Having lost his spot after the last Ashes tour, Australia recalled Harris to partner David Warner on the back of a strong county season with Leicestershire over the winter before scoring a Marsh Sheffield Shield century for Victoria against NSW.

Jhye shines before Starc lands ultimate blow

That has come despite right-arm fast bowlers, encouraged by Broad's success, increasingly targeting Harris from around the wicket.

He has adjusted by tinkering with his technique and taking a more side-on stance, and Ponting suggested there were encouraging signs in his 66-ball second dig in Adelaide.

"I thought he actually looked as good as he's looked in a long time in this innings," said Ponting.

"I thought he had a really good opportunity to bat for those two or three hours and make a good score that would make the noise go away.

"Unfortunately for Marcus now the noise is not going to go away. If he gets picked for the next Test there's going to be more pressure going into Boxing Day.

"But I think they'll stick with him. I think three outs in this series would be too (little evidence) to leave him out of the Test team."

Why Mitchell Starc is so damaging with the pink ball: HCL Vantage Point

"If you look at pink-ball movement compared to red-ball movement in Test matches over the last five or six years, I think you'll find the pink ball has actually moved more than the red ball.

"Any bit of movement that Starc can get makes him so much more dangerous, and his ability to strike in his first 10 balls in international cricket is incredible.

"The white ball has generally swung more than the red ball in Australia for the last 15 or 20 years.

"I think there's a definite correlation there (with Starc's success and) how much the white ball and the pink ball swing compared to the red one."