Shaun Marsh 'hard to drop': Lehmann

Australian coach Darren Lehmann admits replacement batsman Shaun Marsh will be hard to drop in an ominous sign for out-of-sorts opener Joe Burns.

Australian bowler James Pattinson (left)

Australia have crushed the West Indies by an innings and 212 runs in the first Test in Hobart. (AAP)

Australian captain Steve Smith says he is in no doubt for the Boxing Day Test despite aggravating a long-term knee injury.

The same can't be said for opener Joe Burns.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann admitted replacement batsman Shaun Marsh would be "hard to drop" in what sounded like a death knell to the out-of-sorts Burns' hopes of retaining his place for the 2nd Test against the West Indies.

Lehmann conceded selectors faced some tough calls after the in-form Usman Khawaja was injected on Saturday into the Boxing Day Test squad.

He was the only new face added to the 12-strong squad that hammered the Windies by an innings and 212 runs within three days in Hobart.

It was Australia's second-biggest Test win over the former Caribbean kings.

Marsh had been expected to make way for the returning Khawaja (hamstring) for the Melbourne Test.

But Marsh (182) ensured his spot after his 449-run stand with man of the match Adam Voges (269no) in Hobart - a new Test record for the fourth wicket.

Burns appears to be the odd man out after failing to fire in Australia's 4(dec)-583 first innings.

"It's hard to drop someone who makes 182," Lehmann told ABC radio.

"Now the challenge for selectors is to try and work out what the best six is (in batting order).

"It's a pleasing problem to have."

The Windies lost a total of 12 wickets within two sessions on Saturday after being forced to follow-on as pacemen Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson cut loose.

The only complaint was Smith aggravating a right-knee ailment that niggled during this year's Ashes series as well as a hip strain that required "one to two weeks" of treatment.

Lehmann said Marsh had earned a "big tick" since receiving a sixth call-up into the team for the Adelaide day-night Test against New Zealand where the left-hander hit a match-winning 49.

"I thought the big tick was his second innings in Adelaide against New Zealand when we were chasing that total," he said.

"We knew he was a class player and he's just got to get that belief and he's got his first 100 now (on home soil) so hopefully he's up and running."

Smith said Marsh "changed the course of the game" when he let loose with Voges after they came together at 3-121 at lunch on day one.

Khawaja is expected to feature in the Boxing Day XI if fit after stroking 174 and 121 against New Zealand at No.3 this summer.

But it appears he will replace Burns as opener with Smith preferring Marsh to remain at No.5.

Smith played down fitness concerns after confirming he would sit out the Twenty20 Big Bash League before Christmas.

"(I'm in) no doubt (for Boxing Day Test)," he said.

Hazlewood had match figures of 7-78 to push his 2015 Test tally to 51 while Pattinson took a devastating 5-27 in the Windies' second innings that ended before tea on the third day.


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Source: AAP



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