You’ve seen Shaun Marsh stride out to bat in a coloured Australian uniform. You’ve heard the commentators’ repeated assurances Marsh is a man of tremendous talent who is “showing signs of having finally matured”, with the reliability of a moustache-sporting car salesman presenting his ‘best’ vehicle.
You’ve heard the rumblings he is ready to be a successful Test match batsmen.
Hell, at one stage or another, you’ve probably thought all of this yourself.
Like a film in which Owen Wilson plays a misled though well-meaning character, who through ‘comedic’ antics learns a very simple message – you’ve seen this before.
But unlike that one character Owen Wilson will continue to play for as long as it brings in the cheques, Shaun doesn’t learn.
And neither do we.
Tomorrow you’ll open the paper and see an article imploring the swift return of Marsh to the Test team. Or maybe it will be the day after, or the day after that.
Because every season Shaun is spoken of as if he is a 20-year-old upstart threatening to usurp the incumbents.
Lots of talent. Only a good Shield season away. Just needs to figure it out.
We live in constant hope it seems, because we’ve seen him when what he does works.
Part of the confusion surrounding Marsh stems from the fact that in the one day arena he hints at a certain prowess for the white clothed format.
He accumulates, plays himself in, waits for the bad ball and rotates the strike. Once set, he can shift gears and propel himself from the accumulator to the hitter, capable of dispatching bowlers well into the crowd.
Yet we linger on the supposed principles of his batting; patience and timing.
These are certainly the qualities often found in successful Test match batsmen.
But what is not realised often enough, is the differences between the intensity of one day cricket and Test match cricket.
Sustaining concentration in ODIs is not particularly difficult.
For much of the innings, singles are on offer and encouraged, good bowling comes in shorter spells and is undermined by defensive field settings, while swing is merely an obstacle dealt with inside the first ten overs.
Test matches are far more stingy with singles, leaving batsmen in far more danger of being worked over by a bowler for six deliveries straight. Swing sticks around for longer. Reverse arrives just as you’re set.
And of course, Marsh has his moments.
At the beginning of this season for Australia A against a pre-imploded England team, Marsh battled a difficult pitch for less than a session to remain not out.
Many thought this was just another sign Marsh had finally come good on his promise. Yet still, he has not capitalized on the faith.
Across nine innings in five Sheffield Shield matches, Marsh has amassed scores of 42, four, four, 13, 127 not out, six, 47, one and four.
Do these numbers make you want to open up a new tab, jump onto Flightcentre and buy Marsh a ticket to South Africa?
Marsh still has a lot of work to do. It’s naive to imagine he doesn’t work hard as many undoubtedly would.
But fortunately for him, he has the part outside of his control down – he has talent.
Where he must improve is in playing four day cricket as if he is playing in an ODI. He must work to accumulate, put away the bad ball and put pressure on the bowler.
For if he doesn’t, Marsh will remain the attractive but flaky ex-girlfriend of Australian cricket.
Keith Parker
Guest
Your thoughts now?
Dan
Guest
So true. Inverarity perpetuated the myth when he said at the presser, "We know when he's at his best, Shaun is a very good player". Problem is, his best performances are few and far between. And I don't think I'd call a 30 year old with a first class average of 36 and only 8 hundreds a very good player. It's staggering to see him get another chance. If picked, Morkel, Steyn and Verlander will tear him apart.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
That is an absolute ripper of an article and I suggest others give it a look too. Good to see others agree!
nick
Guest
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/a-straight-bat-cricket-blog/2013/oct/25/shaun-marsh-the-special-one
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
As a Vic I would love to see Hodgey get a game. And Hoggy's in just as good a form as ever.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
I hope for their sake and his sake, he lifts his game and lives up to his talent. He is a good batsman to watch after all.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
I feel like you're equal parts correct and wrong. FC runs obviously don't translate to test runs, but if we ignore the better batsmen in FC games, then why are we bothering to have the competition in the first place?
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
Thanks Adam. Luke, you may have noticed that in the article, I've been highly complimentary of Marsh's one day batting. He regularly bats well for WA and AUS when he's in the coloured uniform. So yes, I would have picked him. I've thought for a long time that Watson needs to give up either T20Is or ODIs in order to extend his test career, and Marsh would be a good replacement in either in the top order. Adam has rightfully pointed out Marsh's FC record and test records are not up to standard.
Passionate_Aussie
Roar Rookie
I like Marsh for one-dayers. Then my like stops there.
Paul Callings
Guest
The Brad-Mans of T20. Picking the best T20 squad possible with a view to the T20 world cup should be based on form, experience in big match games at the highest level and a personal game suited to the pitch and ground conditions likely to be experienced. Brad Hodge and Brad Hogg are the " Mans " who have been made the invisible elephant in the selection room. If Aust lose the clinch games in the T20 world cup due to lack of experience it would be a shame the selectors didn't consider picking the 2 Brad-mans left in the room.
jameswm
Guest
Maxwell is young enough not to be written off, but he needs to average 40+ in the Shield and get some proper loop (and work on the ball) on his offies first.
Adam Ludeke
Roar Pro
I think you'd find that most people would pick Marsh in the ODI squad because he has a pretty good record in that format. His test and FC career records are awful though, and yet again we have the selectors hypnotised by a couple of decent white ball knocks from this bloke. I just don't get it. P.S great article Anthony.
Ruminate
Roar Guru
Agree with your appraisal on Pattinson, but as you point out, given the scheduling the selectors had little choice. This summers scheduling is itself another matter. I was very critical of the domestic 50 over format before it started, but on reflection it seemed to work though probably needs a few tweaks. The Big Bash seems to have worked too and has grown massively this year. It is especially popular with kids, ask any 12 year old. It is doing a great job in developing interest in the game at a grass roots his level. Could you have ever imagined getting 40,000 people to a domestic game in living memory? The scheduling seems to have worked out well in promoting the game, however, it is pretty diabolical in terms of preparing players for SA and indeed I recall similar thoughts being expressed around the amount of 4 day domestic cricket prior to the Ashes. As for Marsh, shows lots of talent at times, gets out too easily too often. Agree wholeheartedly that he should move state to somewhere like SA, Qld, or Tas and put 4 day runs on the board.
Luke
Guest
If runs scored in Shield translated to runs scored in test matches then we wouldn't need selectors, would we. Sometimes the selectors just have to go with their gut instinct.
Matt Sterne
Roar Rookie
Ha - yes I noticed this. So I am eating my words and yes the selectors/coach do see something in him. Don't quite get it!!
Luke
Guest
And I bet all commenters here wouldn't have picked him for this one day squad either, but I doubt Michael Clarke's too worried about that having sent him in at #3 (normally reserved for the best batsman, what was Clarkey thinking!) two matches in a row. The selectors, thank goodness, are more motivated by keeping their jobs than by every arm chair expert's opinion.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
Thought I'd quickly add, that the selectors have listened finally... ... and selected Shaun Marsh for the squad to SA in February. So there it is. "Shield runs will get you selected" or, better translated to "a few runs against a team that's been demolished and has zero confidence in its ability to win, in a format that is entirely different to this one, will get you selected".
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
Most teams try and use him to anchor the innings and gradually tee off (if he's still around) in the last few overs.
Anthony D'Arcy
Roar Pro
Hard to not be a fan of a bloke who bowls 145km/h outswingers!
Matt Sterne
Roar Rookie
From my perspective, the touting of Marsh as a Test star - waiting in the wings ended when we dropped Mickey Arthurs. I haven't heard much of this bantered around since Boof took over. Looking over the squads for 2013 and 2013/14 Ashes, he wasn't listed in any of the pre-cut initial squads either. Good, solid ODI player and accumulator much like Michael Clarke, but not a Test batsman at all. I would not have him in my first pick T20 side either, but he has a good record. Lots of young guys that have a superior strike rate who are biting at the heels.