Mitchell Marsh brutally dismantled South Africa and their best bowler Dale Steyn on Tuesday to reinforce his status as Australia’s most exciting prospect across all forms.
If there were any doubts about the explosive allrounder being the real deal, he dispatched those theories as emphatically as the seven sixes he launched into the stands at Harare Sports Club in Australia’s 62-run victory, which sealed the side’s place in the tri-series final.
Not only did Marsh’s match-winning 86 off 51 illustrate his incredible power, it showed that at 22, he’s capable of performing under significant pressure.
Stalling at 5-187 after 42 overs, Australia looked set to follow up their sub-standard batting display against Zimbabwe with another mediocre total.
But then Marsh at No.6 changed the course of the game in the 47th.
And not against just any bowler, but Steyn – one of the most successful wicket-takers of the modern era.
For the first time in his career, Steyn was clubbed for three consecutive sixes, two which disappeared back down the ground and resulted in balls being replaced.
Marsh smashed 64 from the last 24 balls he faced as Australia added 70 in the final five overs to rise to 7-287.
His seven sixes were the most in an Australian innings since Shane Watson hammered 15 in a giant ton against Bangladesh in 2011.
Marsh is a certainty for Australia’s World Cup bid next year.
More immediately he’s being considered as a middle-order injection for the Test side on their upcoming tour against Pakistan in the UAE.
“That’s the goal for everyone playing cricket,” said Marsh, who also took two big wickets.
“All I can do is keep working hard and putting scores on the board.
“I just gave myself a chance on that wicket, faced a few balls early and was lucky enough to hang around at the end and swing as hard I could.”
Marsh made his international debut in South Africa in 2011 as a 19-year-old.
Australian captain George Bailey is one who sometimes forgets how young Marsh is, and says he admires how much he’s come along in recent times.
“The thing I have to keep reminding myself with Mitch is he’s 22. It’s pretty phenomenal in terms of what he’s experienced already. It feels like Mitch Marsh has been around for seven years,” said Bailey.
“Every time he comes to this level he’s learning. You get the brute strength, but with wickets falling around him and for him to build that innings … was really mature.”
Luke
Guest
Not by "List A" record, Marsh has a much better average.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
He did something that has never been done before. Any group of fans and press would get excited about that sort of hitting against Steyn.
deccas
Guest
Marsh has done very well this winter, and its changed my opinion of him. Until recently i saw some decent bowling a bit of t20 flogging and a first class batting average under 25 but his performances, particularly in the aus a match but this one day series have made me consider that he might not be an overhyped nothing like his brother. He is still far too young to be considered for the test side, but he is now in consideration. Henriques is probably the best credentialed to take over from Watson in the short to medium term, and Faulkner Marsh and Maxwell should each be given two to three seasons in the shield to develop their skills and match awareness further. Each offers something different, and each could be truly something if they played to their potential. My personal tip is Faulkner, because I can see his canny bowling with a repeatable and durable action along with his competitive attitude taking him all the way.
ChrisT
Guest
Less of a murder, more of a suicide.
Nudge
Guest
Love a happy ending
Jameswm
Guest
Faulkner is a much better bowler than Marsh.
Peter
Roar Rookie
no worries
Spooky
Guest
I'm lost
Axle an the guru
Guest
Sorry Peter i though you were whinging about Johnson breaking bones. I oviously took you the wrong way so i appologise.
Amith
Guest
I see big seasons from Hughes and khawaja Coming
Tom from Perth
Guest
I was wondering the same thing Peter...
Peter
Roar Rookie
What on earth are you on about Axle?
Nudge
Guest
8 km the difference in speed between Johnson and Anderson
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Based on the endless run of injuries.. Watson is already done.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Johnson breaks bones Peter,he bowls a cricket ball at 150 KPH plus,what do you want him banned because of it???? I would hate to know what you would comment if you saw Jeff Thomson in his day.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
He certainly likes to hit straight, but I've watched him work the ball around at Shield level and play shots all around the park. His height and size makes him look more awkward than he is but his fielding off his own bowling can be extremely sharp, he is athletic enough. He hasn't faced most if any of these spin bowlers that he's been playing so at his age, it's likely that he will look all over the shop. You would really hope that he won't get picked for test cricket soon, but that 200 in the A side got the selectors very excited. Understandably as the team was under the hammer when he and Whiteman got stuck in. I'd like the Warriors to train him up in slips as he's got hands like Hayden, absolute buckets.
Peter
Roar Rookie
Another broken effing arm from Mitch Johnson.
Don Freo
Guest
My bad! 8kph
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have seen Faulkner regularly get it up to a 143-144 range, I don't know why anyone would consider him a plodder. Faulkner is a bowler and a good one who is out of form at the moment. I would rate him faster that Marsh, though I haven't had the chance to see him bowl lately.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Don Freo... does Marsh bowl consistently 143kmh-150kmh? Because that would be 10kmh difference you claim over Faulkner, who was in the 133kmh-140kmh range throughout his debut Test. I've never seen Marsh clock more than low-140s and he typically hovers in the mid-130s. He is a skerrick faster than Faulkner, who for some reason gets painted as a plodder who can only bowl 125-130kmh just because he bowls within himself a lot in limited overs cricket as a tactic.