Replace Marsh with Ferguson: Lawson

Former Test quick Geoff Lawson says Australia will "never" win a Test with a No.6 batsman averaging in their 20s, calling for Callum Ferguson to replace Mitch Marsh for the second Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa.

Marsh is under pressure to maintain his spot in the side after his 0 and 26 in Australia's 177-run first Test loss in Perth.

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His batting average has dipped to 23.18 after 19 Tests, with Australia having won 10 of those matches.

"Australia cannot have a No.6 who averages in the low 20s," Lawson told Sky Sports Radio.

"You can't win Test matches, you never have.

"We have a No.6 who is averaging 20 and that is one of the reasons why we are struggling in Test cricket recently."

 

Australia's XI will be finalised before the toss on Saturday.

"You can't set the precedent and say 'oh his bowling is handy', which it is, it's very handy," Lawson said of Marsh.

"But having said that he is not getting four-fors and five-fors, he's getting the odd one or two.

"He's supposed to be a batsman who bowls a bit.

"If you were a No.7 averaging 20 they would be looking at you - you want your No.8 to average 20."

Lawson dipped his hat to Ferguson who overcame two knee reconstructions to be on the cusp of a Test debut.

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The NSW assistant coach believes Ferguson can have a big future in the Baggy Green, tipping him to break into the XI ahead of Blues rising stars Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson.

"They have Test cricket futures in front of them," Lawson said of Patterson and Maddinson.

"They certainly have the talent. They haven't got the experience.

"I like Callum Ferguson.

"It has taken a long time for him to get over that knee injury and be back in pretty good form."

Meanwhile, South African legend Barry Richards has backed Victorian allrounder Glenn Maxwell to help turn around Australia's poor recent record.

Maxwell is considered out of the selection picture for the series against the Proteas as Australia endeavour to overcome 1-0 deficit and was surprisingly left out of Victoria's Sheffield Shield opener against Tasmania, but hit 81 runs on return as the Bushrangers beat Queensland last week.

"One of the guys at always appealed to me was Glenn Maxwell," Richards told 6PR.

"I know that he's a bit of a maverick in terms that he plays Twenty20 cricket too often and hasn't learnt how to play in Test cricket.

"But he's certainly got the ability. He adds something in the field and he can also give you a few overs."

Maxwell has hit 497 runs at 55.22 in Sheffield Shield cricket since 2014-15, but is considered a better Test cricket prospect in Asia rather than Australia with his off-spin.

"He just seemed the logical guy for me," said Richards, who averaged 72 in his only four Tests before South Africa was shut out of international cricket due to apartheid.

"But you need to talk to him a little bit more about how to bat in a Test match."