They’re known within the team as lower-order batsmen, rather than tailenders.

Australia’s four-nil lead in the Ashes series has come despite several modest batting displays from their top six, with the tail wagging appreciably.

Tailenders Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson have both scored half-centuries while Nathan Lyon helped add 40 for the last wicket with Brad Haddin in Australia’s first innings of the fourth Test in Melbourne.

Harris has pushed to No.9 ahead of Peter Siddle and Di Venuto says there’s nothing wrong with a bit of internal rivalry.

“I like to call it lower order because I don’t think we have any tailenders,” Di Venuto said.

“They only bat down there because they have to bowl 20 overs and need a bit more rest. They bat well.

“Ryan has been batting beautifully. Weight of numbers has bumped him ahead of Sidds.

“If that creates a little bit of a battle and starts getting a few more runs out of Sidds and they chop and change well then that’s going to be good for the team.

“There is no reason those guys can’t score good runs.

“We have been blowing their lower order away. They have been six down and almost all out.

“Some of those guys can bat so credit to our bowlers for doing the job.”

A case in point was England’s collapse in their second innings in last week’s Melbourne Test, losing their last five wickets for six runs in a total of 179.

Johnson and Siddle have moved into seventh and ninth positions in the world rankings for allrounders.

“Have they? Geez don’t tell them that,” Di Venuto said.

The fifth and final Ashes Test starts on Friday in Sydney.