- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Shaun Marsh and Cameron White appear to be in a two-man battle to take Michael Clarke’s World Cup spot if the Australian captain doesn’t regain fitness.
The pair have a lot in common. Both were prodigies, debuting for their respective States aged just 17-years-old in the 2000-01 season.
Both have been maligned for their inability to fully exploit their enormous gifts. Both have had opportunities at Test level that they have failed to grasp. And, most relevantly at this point, both have had stilted careers in coloured clothing for Australia.
Marsh has played 45 ODIs over the space of almost seven years. White has notched 87 matches since debuting in 2005.
Five years ago, White was fast becoming one of the elite ODI batsmen in the world and looked set to play 200-plus matches for his country.
During a 14-month period from September 2009 to November 2010, White crunched 1397 runs at an average of 45. He had locked down the number five spot with his canny ability to switch gears during digs.
When entering with Australia’s innings on the rocks, White showed the maturity to guide them into safer waters. Most significantly, however, was the way in which he could lay waste to an opponent in the late stages of an innings.
White’s capacity for front foot bludgeoning was matched by few. This was encapsulated in his knock against India at Visakhapatnam in October, 2010. When the Victorian came to the crease, Australia were 3-160 with 13 overs left, looking set for a reasonable score of 260-270. White rounded on the Indian bowlers, crashing six sixes amid an innings of 89 from 49 balls to haul Australia to a total of 289.
It is this sort of match-changing striking which sets White apart from Marsh.
The smaller West Australian has a finer touch than ‘Bear’ White and is more adept at manipulating the ball into gaps in the field for one and twos. He does not, however, possess the brutal power of White.
Marsh is a wonderful T20 player and has demolished many an attack in that format. But he is less likely to alter the course of a match in a matter of overs in the manner which White can.
Against NSW in October, White began his dig in a relatively sedate fashion, cruising to 40 from 53 balls. Recognising that the Bushrangers needed a big score on the diminutive North Sydney Oval, he then ran amok clattering 67 from 31 balls in an innings which included eight sixes.
White was named the player of the tournament after amassing 354 runs at 58 with a strike rate of just under 100. That followed a dominant 2013-14 Ryobi Cup by both players, with White making 387 runs at 77 and Marsh 304 at 76.
Counting against Marsh is the fact he missed this year’s domestic competition through injury and has not played a 50-over game in 12 months.
His last outing was for Australia against England at Adelaide where he made 36 opening the batting with Aaron Finch. Across four matches in that series, Marsh was a solid contributor with 177 runs at 59.
The question is whether Australia need another batsman capable of creating carnage, like White, or whether they will seek a steadier hand like Marsh.
White is perfect for the middle order, whereas Marsh shapes as a better option in the top three where he can anchor an innings and allow the likes of David Warner, Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell to go hard at the bowlers.
He has been a consistent performer in ODIs, with three tons and 10 fifties from 44 innings, to go with an average of 40. Australia’s top order of Warner, Watson and Finch appears set in stone though, while Steve Smith is now a fixture at four.
It is in the middle order where Australia are weak due to the prolonged form slumps of George Bailey and Maxwell.
A fit Clarke would help add stability to this part of the Australian line-up. If he can’t make his fitness deadline, White is his best replacement.