Australia’s selection showdown could be settled by the WACA wicket, with Mitch Marsh in the box seat to be recalled if the curator fails to wind the clock back for the famed venue’s final Ashes Test.
Australia have a golden chance to regain the urn at a ground where England have recorded a single victory from 13 Tests.
The WACA will no longer host high-profile cricket games beyond the contest that starts on Thursday because of the new construction across the Swan River.
The WACA is synonymous with fire, brimstone and brutal spells of fast bowling that had batsmen ducking and weaving.
But Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Brett Lee are among the Australian fast bowlers – past and present – to lament the WACA’s lack of sting in recent years.
If another flat deck is produced then selectors are expected to want Marsh’s medium pace at Australia’s disposal, knowing the risks involved with overcooking frontline quicks Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Peter Handscomb would be the batsman to make way.
WA coach Justin Langer, who appointed Marsh captain earlier this year and has known the allrounder since he was a baby, has a biased view of the dilemma but even he is on the fence.
“I hope (Marsh) does play but it means someone will have to miss out and probably nobody deserves to miss out when they’re 2-0 up,” Langer told reporters in Perth.
“I never like to change a winning team.
“That said, if there’s any concerns about any of the bowlers and if the wicket looks anything like what we’ve played on in the last two (Sheffield Shield) games here then you’d definitely like to have that other fast bowling option.
“Spin bowling doesn’t usually have the impact here that it does at other grounds, so maybe Nathan Lyon won’t have the same impact he’s had.”
In Marsh’s favour is the fact he scored 141 and returned to competitive bowling during the most recent Shield clash at the WACA.
“Like a lot of young players, you get in early then part of the journey is you get dropped. Then you’ve got a choice to make, fade away or get better,” Langer said.
“He’s scored nearly 1000 runs for the season (including one-day and Shield games).
“He bowls fast and fields well in the slips.”
The WACA pitch used for a run-laden Test draw between Australia and New Zealand in 2015 earned particularly poor reviews but curator Matt Page has since tried to restore some pace and bounce.
“The last few Shield games it’s been flat. I hope Pagey leaves some good green grass on it, that way it usually swings a bit which is great for the game,” Langer said.
Starc, speaking earlier this week, held out hope of “a WACA of old and we can get stuck into their batsmen”.
Former Test batsman Brad Hodge, speaking at a BBL function in Melbourne, suggested it would be a “slow and bowing” pitch.
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