Joe Burns warming to short leg

Australia opener Joe Burns says he's feeling more comfortable at short leg and enjoying the unenviable task of fielding there more and more with every catch.

Australia's Joe Burns.

Australia opener Joe Burns says he's enjoying fielding at short leg. (AAP)

Joe Burns is warming to the idea of fielding at short leg, saying the more time he spends under the lid the more he enjoys it.

Shaun Marsh will return to the national side on Friday, when the inaugural day-night Test starts at Adelaide Oval.

However, Burns made his Test debut three years after Marsh and is not expecting to hand over the helmet this week.

The 26-year-old fired with the bat in Brisbane, celebrating his Test recall with a maiden century at home ground the Gabba.

However, he dropped a couple of catches and copped a couple of body blows at short leg.

It was much the same at the WACA, where Kane Williamson smacked smacked plenty of short deliveries at the Queenslander.

Burns had no time to react on one occasion, the ball cracking the peak of his helmet.

It's one of many examples that explain why short leg is the least favourite fielding position of most cricketers.

"The more I do it the more comfortable I feel and the more I start to enjoy it," Burns said.

"The more catches you get you certainly feel more comfortable in there.

"So I just keep working hard and it's becoming easier by the day."

The 26-year-old has had regular one-on-one sessions with fielding coach Greg Blewett since being recalled to the Test side.

Burns admitted it's been a steeping learning curve.

"It's a position that before playing for Australia I'd never done before," Burns said.

"I dare say I still would be there (in the three-Test series finale against New Zealand)."

Burns wasn't the only one to slip up in the first two Tests.

Australia's fielding was sloppy at both the Gabba and WACA, where Ross Taylor was given a couple of run-out reprieves and dropped during a record-breaking knock of 290.

Former skipper Ian Chappell called Steve Smith's team the worst Australian fielding side since the mid 80s.

"Apart from David Warner and Smithy, they're very ordinary in catching," Chappell said.

"Ground fielding and throwing wise, they're probably even worse than the mid-80s side.

"There's some horrible arms amongst them."


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Source: AAP



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