Talking points from Australia's Ashes tour opener

Mitch Marsh is heaping pressure on Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson has rediscovered his fear factor, and Ryan Harris may have missed his chance.

This is what emerged from Australia’s opening match of the Ashes tour, a four-day fixture against county cricket cellar dwellers Kent.

Against arguably the worst side in county cricket on a lifeless deck, Australia enjoyed a valuable hit out.

Every member of their top six chalked up more than 100 runs for the match and keeper Brad Haddin had a reasonable amount of time in the middle.

For the bowlers, Harris got through a couple of long spells unscathed, Johnson looked to have regained some pace, and Peter Siddle showed that he is in decent nick and will be handy insurance for the Ashes.

Only leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed laboured, proving expensive even against a weak batting line-up.

Mitch Marsh has made a big push to play in the first Ashes Test
The equation is now simple – to stand a chance of playing at Cardiff, Shane Watson must bowl in the second tour match against Essex starting on Wednesday.

Even if he does, his position in the Australian XI is less certain than it was just a few days ago.

Watson was impressive with the bat against Kent, with a double of 21 and 81. But Marsh was even better with the blade while also turning in some tidy spells to remind the selectors what a reliable fifth bowler he is.

Marsh missed his opportunity in the first dig when he aimed a swipe at a spin offering and was bowled for 30. In the second innings he displayed his underrated ability to pace an innings.

The 23-year-old all-rounder is best known for his long striking, yet over the past two years he has become an increasingly patient batsman. More and more, Marsh is happy to play with minimal risk early in his innings, soaking up pressure before unfurling more expansive strokes once well set.

As we know, once he gets his eye in he is one of the most scintillating batsman on the globe.

In the second innings against Kent, Marsh was happy to play defensively and bunt the ball around for the first hour of his dig. Even as Watson unleashed at the other end, sprinting to 34 from 25 balls, Marsh kept his ego in check and built a platform.

By the time he reached 24 from 55 balls, Marsh recognised he was primed to make his move. He then blitzed 77 runs from his next 39 balls, launching deliveries all over the ground, before retiring on 101 from 94 balls.

Marsh had earlier demonstrated his accuracy with the ball as he completed a five-over spell, taking 1-6. Last night, he again proved effective, with a spell of 1-16 early in Kent’s second innings.

Watson may be a favourite of the selectors, but Marsh has ensured that they will have to put some thought into the number six spot for the first Test.

Harris didn’t do enough to warrant selection in the first Test
Harris has to hope he gets to face Essex starting on Wednesday or he may well be overlooked for the first Test. Despite showing that his body appears to strong, the veteran seamer was not incisive against a side which boasted only one batsman with a first-class average higher than 33.

At the time of writing this story last night, Harris had match figures of 2-90 from 24 overs. Granted, the pitch was decidedly sleepy, but it seems likely that the Test strips will be of a similar nature.

Roarers will know how highly I rate Harris and that I have argued he can have a massive impact on the Ashes. But he still has to earn selection, given the enormous pace talent at Australia’s disposal and his lengthy absence.

In his last stint in the Test side against India last summer, Harris’ pace and penetration was down. He later said that he had entered those Tests a bit underdone, fitness wise. After six months out of action, time he took to rest his ageing chassis, Harris needs to prove he is back to something close to his peak.

While reports from the ground suggested he found some extra zip in his bowling as the first innings wore on, his overall return was underwhelming. Josh Hazlewood is a certainty for the first Test, and Johnson has joined him in that category after some searing spells against Kent.

Harris now looks to be in a battle with Mitchell Starc for the last pace spot.

Mitch the Marauder may be back
The Johnson we have seen the past 12 months has been significantly less fearsome than the one who vaporised England and South Africa in the 2013-14 summer. Of course, Johnson’s bowling during that period was so extraordinary that it was impossible for him to maintain that standard.

However, it is an absence of venom which has been most noticeable in many of his spells the past year.

Hawk Eye figures show that in the West Indies Tests and last summer against India, Johnson’s average speeds were down 3-4km/h on his levels during his preceding golden period. Not often in those matches did we see him really shake up a batsman. Unresponsive pitches didn’t help but there also seemed to be less malevolent intent behind his deliveries.

The word from Kent has been that Johnson looked truly terrifying, wringing every skerrick of life from the benign surface. He received a resounding endorsement from Kent veteran and former England Test batsman Robert Key.

Even though Key had success in the first dig, making 87, he admitted that the experience of facing Johnson had been startling.

“For a large part of that I thought ‘there is no way I get paid enough to be facing him’,” Key told the media after his innings.

“He’s a different level, isn’t he? The pace that he has, and he gets the odd one to swing, that’s how I think cricket should be played. It doesn’t matter what type of pitch you’re on, that bloke is a serious bowler.”

The fear and panic prompted by Johnson among England’s batsman was the catalyst for Australia’s 5-0 Ashes rout 18 months ago.

The English players will have been cringing as they listened to Key’s comments. Is Mitch the Menace back?