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At an imposing 193 centimetres tall, with a solid frame beyond his years, and all that talent to boot, Mitchell Marsh was seen as a future star from an early age.
Australian cricket’s obsessive search for the next world-class all-rounder has been frustrating, with missed opportunities from both players and selectors alike.
After the disastrous 2015 Ashes campaign saw the retirement of Shane Watson – arguably Australia’s best performing Test all-rounder for some years – Marsh was seen as the next cab off the rank.
Big expectations for a young cricketer to handle.
Marsh’s pedigree is impressive, he is the son and brother of past and current Australian Test cricketers, and was Under-19 Australian World Cup captain. With impressive showings throughout his early days in Western Australian cricket, Marsh’s star began rising at an early age, and an Australian debut seemed inevitable.
But Marsh has struggled to convert his undeniable talent into international consistency.
Though his bowling has drastically improved with every Test (in his 13 Tests he has 21 wickets at 31.61), his batting has left a lot to be desired, and he has become a liability in the pivotal position of No.6. Marsh concluded this summer with a batting average of 24.64, his singular Test half-century a distant memory.
After an impressive showing in his first Test outings, Marsh’s slide into batting mediocrity can be traced back to an underwhelming away Ashes series. With the constant challenge of green, grassy English wickets, the moving ball and consistent pressure from England’s bowlers, Marsh could only contribute scores of 12, 27*, 0, 6, 3 – a run of poor form he has failed to rectify.
However Marsh has endured a frustrating run of late, with a lack of opportunities to spend time at the crease as the Australian top order consistently made scores of note against poor bowling; hardly an ideal situation for a player attempting to fix his flaws and silence his critics.
Marsh has been selected as the sole all-rounder in Australia’s Test squad for their away tour of New Zealand, where his technique and resolve will once again be tested on green, seaming pitches.
One hopes Marsh can fight his way out of his batting rut, tighten his technique, and evolve into the Test batsman Australian cricket has been yearning for in the pivotal all-rounder’s position.
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