Smith puts his hand up for Warner’s spot

Steve Smith has put in a bid to open for Australia against the West Indies.

Steve Smith plays a shot during his innings of 38 against Pakistan

Steve Smith has put in a bid to open for Australia against the West Indies.

“I’m actually happy to go up the top,” the former captain told ABC Radio after the third day’s play at the SCG. “I am pretty keen if that is what they want to do.

“I’m sure the selectors and Ron (coach Andrew McDonald) and Patty (Pat Cummins) will have a chat after this game, but I am certainly interested, for sure.”

The idea entered the water this week after comments by Shane Watson were reported exclusively in The Australian.

The move would allow Cameron Green to play in the team alongside Mitch Marsh and possibly bed down the young all-rounder’s spot at No.4 currently occupied by Smith, who looks out of sorts. He is averaging close to 40 in this series but has had a middling past 12 months.

Former greats Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer are not big fans of a move to the top.

“Who knows, but I don’t think it will happen,” Ponting said on Channel 7. “I wouldn’t like to see him move from his number four position. All this talk, all we’re trying to do here is find a spot in the side for Cameron Green, that’s all this conversation is all about – ‘how do we possibly get Cameron Green back into the side?’ And if they’re going to do it, as far as I’m concerned it has to be with the least disruption to the batting order as it is.

“Smith and Labuschagne has been magnificent at three and four. They’ve been the backbone of Australia’s batting for the last three or four years since Labuschagne came into the team, and I wouldn’t like to see that disrupted. I’m putting my hand up, I said it a few weeks ago, I think it should be Cameron Bancroft the man to get that chance.”

Langer is also reluctant for Smith to move and doesn’t think Green should open either.

“I think there’s room, but don’t think there’s room for Cameron Green to open the batting,” he said. “He’s a young guy and there’s no surprise he’s out in the nets. These guys love playing cricket, and he hasn’t played cricket now for ages. I think there’s room for both of them in the team. It’ll also help with the longevity of the three fast bowlers, because they’ll have to bowl less. But I don’t think it’s opening the batting. If the Australian selectors are going to bring Cameron Green back into the team, in my opinion the only way they can do that is to open the batting with Marnus Labuschagne.

“The problem you have is that one, David Warner is retiring. If you’re going to go with, let’s say, a makeshift-opener, in my opinion the only one that can do it is Marnus Labuschagne. He’s batted at number three. I’ve always felt that if you bat in the top three you can bat anywhere in the order. If you bat four, five, six, you tend to be a middle-order player, it’s rare for that to come off. In more recent times we’ve seen Aaron Finch have a crack at it, Matthew Wade have a crack at it. I wouldn’t like to see Cameron Green opening. I’d like to see him in the team if that’s the way, but not opening.”