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Mitch and Shaun are back. I will immediately get the ‘I told you so’ – directed to the National Selection Panel – off my back.
Australia finally had turned the page (or at least the selectors had) with a breath of fresh air towards the back end of the 2016-07 summer.
While Nic Maddinson did not work out, Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb certainly have, and all of a sudden the Aussies had the makings of a top six to work with for the next few years.
But Australia’s two favourite cricketing brothers have been arm-chaired back into the national side again.
It was grim viewing Groundhog day last night.
Yes the batting track was not easy. Yes it appeared the classic rank turner. But these selections have destroyed any sense of momentum garnered from the third test against South Africa.
With a deep sense of exasperation I must ask – what is it that Trevor Hohns and Darren Lehmann see that 23 million Australians don’t?
I received a text from a mate who noted the following with Mitch Marsh’s dismissal.
“What concerns me is that he seriously missed the ball by nearly a foot but had to consult his partner as to whether he nicked it or not!”
The guy is just not Test standard. The myth he can play in the subcontinent needs to be debunked.
His recent series in Sri Lanka – averaging 27 with the bat from 6 starts, 2 wickets at 59 is mediocre.
Furthermore, when Australia bats first in a match, Marsh averages 18.
With Shaun, we now have a player who is nearing 34 years of age – with hamstrings and fingers falling apart seemingly every second Test, and I honestly thought the summer potential shown by the young bats would see the end for Marsh senior.
However, I could accept the premise with the fading of Voges he bat at No.6 on his “Sri Lankan form”. But not at number No.3 – not to drop Usman Khawaja.
This series was the springboard for Khawaja’s Test career to jump from good to elite. If they keep picking Mitchell Marsh on his ‘potential’, I wonder how Khawaja must be feeling.
Between Renshaw, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazelwood we still have a Test match.
While I enjoyed the tenth wicket rear-guard, I wonder what day 1 would have looked like without the Marsh brothers in the team.
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