The aggressive Canterbury batsman has averaged just 8.25 from eight innings so far on tour yet firmly believes he is ``not out of touch.''
``I'm still hitting the ball reasonably well and feel that I'm due for a change of fortune soon,'' Astle told The Press from Perth yesterday.
``Obviously a run of low scores does play on your mind a bit but I'm confident about getting out of this trot. If you let it really get to you mentally then it's probably a lot worse.''
Astle said he had been dismissed in just about every manner possible on the tour, which pointed not to any serious weakness in his game.
Astle said he thought the hard Australian pitches would have suited his stroke-making style with their consistent bounce.
``I've been through something like this once before and worked through it, and will do so again.''
Astle had a lean trot in Pakistan this time last year before turning his season around with 60 in the final one-day game against Pakistan, then finding form for Canterbury.
Before embarking on the Australian tour Astle was averaging 31.54 from 13 tests and 25 innings. He had scored three centuries, including back-to-back-hundreds in early 1996 against West Indies, and an unbeaten century against England last season.
Astle said he is comfortable batting No. 3 at test level, although most of his short test career has been at No. 5.
``Obviously it didn't help getting run out at Brisbane and then I was just getting going in the second innings there before getting out,'' said Astle.
``I realise my test place is under pressure and that someone else could take over. Then I'd have to fight to get it back.''
Meanwhile, talented middle-order batsman Craig McMillan has another minor adjustment to make before the second test after identifying a flaw in his technique which has seen him given out leg before wicket five times in succession on tour.
``I've never really had lbw problems before. I'm aware of it now but I'm not really overly concerned about it, especially as a couple of the decisions were doubtful.''
The Canterbury batsman believes he has the answer to the problem.
``In the nets I'm working on getting my feet moving a little bit earlier.
``The decks we play on here tend to be a bit quicker than the ones we see at home and you have a little less time to get into position. As a consequence I've been caught on the crease too much.''