Shaun Marsh is not the man to replace Khawaja

I have nothing against Shaun Marsh the person. I’ve never met him, and I’ve never even spoken to anyone that knows him intimately. From all reports he’s a nice guy, and he’s unquestionably a talented cricketer.

So when I say that there is no way in hell he should replace the injured Usman Khawaja for the third Test in Adelaide, it’s nothing personal.

I’m not being vindictive, nor am I holding some strange grudge against him. It’s simply that I don’t believe he should be selected.

Marsh has played 15 Test Matches for Australia, averaging 33.11 with the bat, while scoring two hundreds. Those figures aren’t horrible, and would actually suggest that there is some potential there to work with.

The issue lies in the selective use of the ‘p’ word in that last sentence. At 32 years of age, we’re still talking about Shaun Marsh’s potential.

At that age, and after a long time on the Australian cricket scene, you would expect that we would be discussing a more important ‘p’ word: performance.

So let’s talk performance then.

Marsh made his first-class debut for Western Australia in the 2000-01 season. Since then, he’s scored 16 first-class centuries. For those counting at home that’s basically a ton every season, which is a very poor conversion rate for a top order batsman.

Don’t be fooled into thinking Marsh’s issue is simply not getting big scores though.

We’re not talking about a statistical abnormality or a case of a prolific batsman who averages 50 odd, but without consistently scoring hundreds. Marsh’s first-class average is 38.39; and that’s not an overly impressive figure for an aspiring Test player.

We’re also not talking about a promising young player who has shown flashes of promise, sans the gaudy average yet. Rather, the sample size for Marsh’s batting is more than large enough to arrive at an objective and fairly robust analysis of his batting. So here it is: he simply doesn’t score enough runs.

It’s that straightforward.

Don’t be seduced by the attractive manner in which he bats. Don’t be allured by the appeal of his textbook technique. Resist the charm of his exquisite cover drive. For while there is no question that when Shaun Marsh hits a cricket ball it is pretty to watch, there are no extra runs on offer for style.

Marsh’s technique is straight out of a batting manual, and is a big reason why selectors keep picking him. It’s easy to fall in love with a style that looks like it should accumulate runs easily. Yet that same technique can desert Marsh early in his innings, when he can be prone to not moving his feet, and thus getting caught on the crease.

It’s evidenced in his 27 Test innings, in which Marsh has 11 scores in single figures, and a staggering seven ducks.

Though a great technique often seduces selectors and fans alike, it’s stating the obvious that a batsman needs to accompany that technique with runs. Unfortunately that’s where Marsh has consistently let himself down, being ‘feast or famine’ at the crease.

And here’s the crucial part: at 32, is this leopard really going to change his spots?

At some point with cricketers it’s no longer ‘potential’ – it’s the reality. What you’ve seen is what you’re going to get.

Marsh is being talked about as a replacement for Khawaja at number three due to his ‘good form’, yet his Sheffield Shield scores this summer have been 15, 1, 2, 92 and 64. That makes for a very Marsh-like average of 34.8.

It’s also been discussed that as this is a short-term gig – with Khawaja returning soon – Marsh is the perfect candidate because he has batted at three for Australia before. While it’s true that Marsh has previously batted at first drop for Australia, in 10 innings he has averaged… you guessed it, in the thirties. 30.1, to be precise.

I think Australia should be demanding more from their number three, and that a much stronger case can be made for the other candidates.

Cameron Bancroft was selected in the Australian Test squad for the tour of Bangladesh, was close to earning his Test debut in this current series, and scored a hundred against South Australia a few weeks ago. Based on this he must be very close to ‘next cab off the rank’ status.

From reports he’s also an excellent fielder close to the bat, something Joe Burns has proven he is definitely not. Combined with his age this would all suggest there is plenty of merit in Bancroft’s selection, even if he is an opener and not a number three.

Since the requirement is short term – just a one or two Test cameo – age is not a concern, meaning the in-form but ‘older’ duo of Michael Klinger and Ed Cowan should also be in the running as the perfect stop-gap measure.

Whether the selectors decide to reward an experienced performer currently scoring runs or roll the dice on youth, I don’t really mind.

As long as they don’t pick a batsman who isn’t showing great form, isn’t young, and has proven over his career to be the master of looking stylish, but still averaging in the thirties.