"After last night Smith probably feels a bit better" - Mark Taylor on Mitchell Marsh batting ahead of Steve Smith at No.3

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor feels the match against Bangladesh justified the team's decision to play Mitchell Marsh at No.3 and move Steve Smith down to No.4 in the batting order.

Following a few low scores, Marsh smashed an incredible unbeaten 177 off 132 balls to help the Aussies chase 307 runs in the 45th over. It was Australia's seventh consecutive win after opening the 2023 World Cup with two losses against India and South Africa.

Speaking on Nine's Sports Sunday, Taylor understood Smith's frustrations at moving down to No.4 yet Marsh's knock against Bangladesh would have helped the star batter feel justified.

"I think after last night he (Smith) probably feels a bit better," Taylor said. "Mitchell Marsh, before last night, to be honest at No.3 where he's moved to hadn't done that well, he'd only averaged 23 at No.3, Steve Smith averages 53. That's why Smith was upset about being moved to No.4.

"But we saw last night ... in those powerplay overs he is dynamic, Mitchell Marsh because he hits the ball and hits the ball hard."

With the return of Travis Head, Australia moved Mitchell Marsh down to No.3 and Smith to No.4, much to the latter's dismay. Smith does boast an impressive record batting at No.3 in ODIs with an average of almost 53 in 86 innings.

Mark Taylor also felt Marsh's change to his hard-hitting style of batting against Bangladesh paved the way for the all-rounder's sensational knock.

"He had a couple of games where he started to try and nurdle it around like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne," Taylor continued. "Someone got a hold of him and said, 'Mate, you hit the ball and hit it hard' ... that's the way he's got to play. Steve Smith and Labuschagne will bat down the order and they can do the nurdling, Mitchell Marsh at No.3 can hit the ball and hit it hard."

It was Marsh's second century of the World Cup with his first coming against Pakistan. The 32-year-old is Australia's second leading run-scorer in the tournament behind David Warner, with 426 runs at an average of 60.85 and a strike rate of 109.51.

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"Marcus Stoinis hasn't done enough with his bowling or his batting" - Mark Taylor

Stoinis has struggled as the pace-bowling all-rounder.

Mark Taylor also weighed in on the selection between Marcus Stoinis and Marnus Labuschange for one spot in the Australian middle-order in the semi-final against South Africa.

With Smith scoring a much-needed 63 against Bangladesh to cement his place, only one of Stoinis or Labuschage can play with the return of belligerent all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

Taylor felt that the nod should go to Labuschagne given Stoinis' lack of runs and wickets.

"Marcus Stoinis hasn't done enough with his bowling or his batting," Taylor said. "I like Marnus Labuschange in the side. I don't necessarily like him batting with Steve Smith because they don't necessarily complement each other, but I've got him in the team because he gives Australia an option if we lose a couple of early wickets.

"There's also his fielding, last night he had two great run-outs and a couple of catches. He can make a difference in the field."

Stoinis has scored 87 runs in five innings at a 21.75 average and picked up only four wickets in six outings. Meanwhile, Labuschagne has displayed better batting form, with two half-centuries and 286 runs in his eight innings.

The five-time ODI world champions will take on South Africa in the second semi-final at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, November 16.