Aspiring Test bat displays his wares

HILTON Cartwright has given skipper Steve Smith a reminder of his batting talent, hammering 81 during an intrasquad match in Darwin.

Cartwright scored 37 on Test debut at the SCG this year. The all-rounder was dropped for the ensuing Test tour of India but remains in the mix to return to the XI during this month’s two-Test series in Bangladesh.

Cartwright and Glenn Maxwell’s battle for the No.6 spot appears the only major conundrum for selectors ahead of the first Test, which starts in Dhaka on August 27.

Smith and selectors will be keen to see how much Cartwright, whose first-class bowling average is 44, has worked on his medium-pacers.

But there is no doubting the 25-year-old’s potential with the willow.

Cartwright and Peter Handscomb, who scored 105, were the standout performers on day one of the three-day clash involving Australia’s 14man Test squad. Josh Hazlewood, Chris Tremain, Mitchell Swepson, Marcus Stoinis and Maxwell all failed to break the 174-run stand between Cartwright and Handscomb.

“He looked really good today,” Handscomb said of Cartwright. “He showed good signs in Sydney, then out here he looked really solid again.

“If that’s something he can continue doing for Australia, then I don’t see any reason why he can’t have a good [international] career.”

Smith’s part-time leg-spin accounted for both Handscomb and Cartwright, who helped David Warner’s XI post 6-360 declared.

“I thought I’d keep him happy by making sure he got a couple of wickets. Keep the skipper happy, you make sure you’re in for the next game,” Handscomb joked.

“Spending time out in the middle is awesome preparation for any tour.”

Smith’s XI were 2-32 in reply at stumps, with Matt Renshaw and Usman Khawaja both falling cheaply.