Kurtis is ready to put up Test hand

NSW Test hopeful Kurtis Patterson has declared he can help fill Australia’s void at the top of the order against Pakistan in October.

Patterson (pictured) is preparing for the audition of his life for Australia A against India in Bangalore on Sunday in the first of two four-day matches that will determine the newlook Test outfit selectors will take to the UAE.

Australia have lost opener David Warner and top order linchpin Steve Smith to suspension. Patterson says he can open and bat first-drop.

The only batting certainties for the two-Test series against Pakistan are Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and possibly Mitchell Marsh, but they would all feature in the middle-order.

“Yeah I think I would be ready, yeah,” said Patterson from Bangalore. “I like batting somewhere close to the top of the order, top three is always where most blokes want to bat and that’s certainly where I enjoy batting the most.”