This week, media sources have exploded over the selection of Shaun Marsh to tour South Africa at the expense of George Bailey. Many have pointed to the good form of Phil Hughes and Cameron White, and the comparatively poor form of Marsh.
However, it wasn’t long ago that the Australian public, and no doubt the National Selection Panel, were considering this very question – only it concerned recent Ashes man of the series Mitchell Johnson.
Everyone knew what Johnson could bring to the table – ferocious speed, devastating bounce and valuable lower-order hitting.
Everyone knew that when he was on-song, he could take the game away from the English, as he had done before at the WACA some time ago.
In 2008, Johnson showcased just how destructive he could be by blowing away the Proteas in Perth with a spell of 8/41.
In the 2010/11 Ashes series, Johnson once again took apart England’s batting order, taking 6/38, also at the WACA.
With performances like these, anyone would expect that his selection in this Ashes series was a no-brainer, and that he would be among the first players picked.
However, Johnson’s lack of consistency was simply too much for the selectors to overlook.
In the first Test of that 2010/11 Ashes series at the Gabba, Johnson’s erratic bowling returned shocking figures of 0/170 and was subsequently dropped for the following match.
His astonishing comeback has been well publicised, as he blew away the English batting order, taking 37 wickets in total, while also contributing vital runs.
There weren’t many people backing Johnson before the series opener, most of them believing his inconsistent bowling could cost Australia the Ashes.
There were even calls for him to only be selected to play in Perth, since the WACA seemed to be the only ground in Australia he performed well at.
The Barmy Army were licking their lips when news of Johnson’s call up rose, certain he would once again gift the English big runs.
So if Johnson was able to prove so many people wrong, why can’t Shaun Marsh?
Even though Johnson’s selection may have been more of a calculated one than Marsh’s, I hope that he can be afforded the backing of the Australian public, at least until the end of the South African tour.
I’m a firm believer that Marsh has the potential to take the game away from any bowling attack and consolidate a spot in the Australian top order, regardless of his age.
And apparently John Inverarity shares this view.
In my opinion, anyone who can score a century in their Test debut, deserves a second crack to fulfil their potential.
He hasn’t exactly been knocking the selector’s door down on the domestic scene, but he’s done it before on the international stage, and I don’t see why he can’t do it again.
In his defence, he has played 35 more first-class games than Alex Doolan, who was also selected for the tour, and averages just under three runs less.
Additionally, he has only played seven Tests, so it’s not as though he’s been tried and tested for any great amount of time.
This is how heroes are made – Mitchell Johnson has proven that – and I would love nothing more than to see Marsh decimate the fast bowling trio of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander on their home turf.
CoverPoint
Guest
Actually, quite a few people acknowledged that MJ could destroy a side and be a match winner on his day, something he had actually achieved on a number of occasions. And he was one of few bowlers who could bowl at 150 KM. Many of the topline bowling contenders were also injured. On the other hand, Marsh has not demonstrated any level of consistency and there were 30 better performing batsmen this year in first class cricket.
CoverPoint
Guest
Please, no more "if he had" stuff. The world does not work that way. The truth is that Marsh has only averaged around 20 runs in first class cricket since been dropped while over the same period, several players have averaged around twice as much. Simple as that. Marsh has had over a decade in first class cricket and has never been consistent in that period Read this article: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/a-straight-bat-cricket-blog/2013/oct/25/shaun-marsh-the-special-one
Luke
Guest
Preferred to Khawaja??? Usman has 17 test innings to Marsh's 11, yet Marsh still has a higher test average. As for Phil Hughes, 49 innings have produced an underwhelming 32.65 average or something like that. Marsh's test career has been interrupted more by injury than poor form. Yes he had a shocker in India but if you take away that earlier howler of a dismissal by the umpire and Marsh's innings batting at number 11 under injury duress, he'd be averaging 33.44 which is probably a better indicator of his form to date. Khawaja & Hughes didn't fire in England and can only blame themselves for not grabbing the opportunity.
CoverPoint
Guest
What if a meteorite strikes the earth knocking it of its axis, plunging it into an ice age?
Straight Ball
Guest
Barry, thanks for the reference. That is a top article you have referred to and it speaks one thing to me loudly and clearly - vicarious nepotism.
Straight Ball
Guest
Yes, the comparison is a mighty insult to Johnson.
JGK
Roar Guru
Interesting that Bird and Doolan are playing for the WA Seconds in the Futures League this weekend but Marsh is not.
SandBox
Roar Guru
"What if Mitchell Johnson bowls well?" 15 Nov by B McKay Was very interesting to read some of the comments again, with the benefit of hindsight JimmyB: "I fully expect the Barmy Army to reduce him to a quivering wreck and by the sounds of it, he shall be fully deserving. Intimidating by speed and bounce is one thing, even though intimidation is explicitly forbidden in the rules of cricket, however stating that you’d be happy to hurt batsmen if your not good enough to get them out…Wow, what a tool." Steve: "being crap at sport and trying to injure opposing players in the hope of getting a fluke win is an excellent long-term development plan. Maybe you could pay someone to poison the All Blacks in the hope of winning a Rugby title." And JimmyB again "I think most people are aware that if both teams played to their full potential that England would win 5-0"
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Hell will have frozen over?
Barry
Guest
What if the sun rises in the west? I think this article, from before the Ashes series was pretty prescient: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/a-straight-bat-cricket-blog/2013/oct/25/shaun-marsh-the-special-one "Despite his inconsistency and poor scores, Marsh has been prefered to Usman Khawaja and Phil Hughes by Australian selectors who are besotted by his myth. They look at Marsh and see his father's son, but their romantic ideal does not exist"
Brett McKay
Expert
A perfectly valid point, Christian. I asked the same one of the vocal Johnson critics in November...
steve
Guest
A very well made point. Good article. Now it's up to Shaun...
abigail
Guest
If Shaun Marsh succeeds in South Africa then the series will a nil all draw. The pitches will have to be so batter friendly that no side can be bowled out twice. Mind you, I'll have my fingers crossed hoping I'm wrong and the selectors have seen something in Marsh that no one else in Australia can see.
Gr8rWeStr
Guest
Any attempt to compare what Marsh has produced prior to this selection to what Johnson produced prior to selection is a humongous stretch. Johnson had previously produced 2 10 wicket matches, 10 5-fors, won 5 player of the match awards and a player of the series award. The question mark over Johnson was not can he produce, but would he be able to produce consistently enough to positively impact the series. Something he did beyond anybody's reasonable expectations. To compare what Marsh has produced at Test and FC record with Johnson's is like comparing chalk and cheese. Nothing about Marsh's Test or FC record suggests he has what it takes to make a significant contribution in the SAf series, but the vagaries of sport mean it can't totally be written off, that's part of the reason sport is loved. The odds of him doing so are considerably longer than they were of Johnson doing so.
jammel
Guest
Let's see if he plays a test…. if Shaun Marsh fires against RSA, let's consider what to do at that stage! This is just a very remote scenario….
JGK
Roar Guru
Marsh has already had a second chance and failed miserably. In any case, I don't think he will play a game.
Johnno
Guest
Iver's keeps his job, simple. And he's amde his old man Swampy, relieved.