It’s an interesting question, was it skipper Steve Smith wanting to shore up his highly successful four-man attack, or was it the selectors as they continue their fruitless search for another Keith Miller or Doug Walters?
It would be unfair to Mitchell Marsh to reach a conclusion after only one day of the third Ashes Test at the WACA, his home ground, but so far he’s way behind the eight-ball.
He dropped a regulation first slip chance offered by Mark Storeman on 52 off Josh Hazlewood. The drop didn’t cost too much as the England opening batsman was dismissed for 56.
And he didn’t bowl until late, finishing the day with seven overs in two spells. He conceded 25 runs off some pretty ordinary bowling.
That’s understandable when he’s only bowled 22 Sheffield Shield overs in taking 2-95 after a nine-month break following shoulder surgery.
(AAP Image/David Mariuz)
Just seven overs yesterday when Mitchell Starc bowled 19, Hazlewood 20, Pat Cummins 21, and Nathan Lyon 19.
On what basis was he considered worthy of dumping Peter Handscomb for this Test that could decide the Ashes?
Smith didn’t rate Marsh highly enough on a day dominated by England’s batsmen, finishing on a series high 4-305 with Dawid Malan notching his maiden Test ton, unbeaten on 110. Jonny Bairstow scored 75, the two combining in an unbroken 174-run fifth wicket stand.
That England had such a good day when their two best and most experienced batsmen Joe Root (20), and Alastair Cook (7), could only manage 27 between them on a belter of a track, said volumes for the relative newcomers.
It was clearly England’s day, with the usually reliable Lyon dropping a diving forward catch, Cameron Bancroft spilling Malan in the 90s when falling to his right blocking Smith who had the chance covered to his left.
David Warner also missed a run out chance he would convert eight times out of ten.
That’s far too many negatives for a side that won the first two Tests by ten wickets, and 120 runs.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Finally, there are two facets of Test match cricket I’d like to see changed.
Scorers have come a long way since the early days when runs were carved into a stick – quite literally ‘notching’ runs.
More often than not, current scorers keep tabs on dot balls that don’t tell the true story.
If scorers broke dot balls into two categories – playing a shot but not scoring, and letting the ball pass without a shot – both bowlers and batsmen would be accurately shown in the scorebook.
The second change would cover two wild bouncers that soared over both the heads of the batsman, and Australian keeper Tim Paine, to cannon into the ropes.
Those eight runs were scored as byes, which was an injustice to Paine, and didn’t tell the true story.
They should have been scored as eight wides, which was categorically correct, with extra deliveries bowled.
Don Freo
Guest
and Joe Root.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Lyon has been excellent to left handers in the first two tests but even at his best, he poses few problems to right handers. Its as though he turns it too much to be a danger to them. Luckily, England have a few lefties.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Hard to argue with the 181 reasons showing that the younger Marsh boy has justified selection also. As long as selectors treat his ton with the value they viewed Maxwell's Indian ton. It only retains a test spotfor a couple of games.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Haven't seen Paine, Starc or Cummins score a first class hundred this summer. Have you? Selected to bat at six, Mitch Marsh for one of the very few times in his test career, delivered on the potential selectors identified in his U19 days. Hard to fault him for that but i would have loved to see Maxwell have a bat on that wicket against the heartless English attack.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
So? There were spells where Watson was more threatening than McGrath too Just not alot of them. I never said Marsh bowled well, merely his pace at times was a surprise.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
I know, they must be feeling so down this morning... ?
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Hey anon & Jon boy, how's that humble pie tasting this morning?
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Imagine, outbatting Steve Smith, the arrogance of the blighter!
Don Freo
Guest
Anon and JonBoy with their silly prejudices again. We will never see them own their silliness, though.
Dave_S
Guest
Yeah that was one of the most rubbish tons you’ll ever see ... ;)
Tommo
Guest
Marsh drops a sitter that many surburban fielders would of taken. Bowls, and gets taken for 5 runs/over. When he bats today needs to make runs or he should be out,again
James T
Guest
If you give Maxwell 20 tests there will be a few special innings but who knows what comes from the rest.
James T
Guest
01 finch 02 Bancroft (wk) 03 smith 04 head 05 Maxwell 06 Warner 07 Maddinson 08 Marsh 09 Cummins 10 Starc 11 Hazlewood
Don Freo
Guest
Now there's a comment no one has ever made on this site before. Anon...really?
Jimbob
Guest
Fast on the speed gun doesn't mean good fast bowling. shane Watson was quicker than Glen McGrath on the speed gun
Jimbob
Guest
Good points but please don;t ever mention Doug Walters in the same sentence as Keith Miller again in regard to bowling
anon
Roar Pro
They will pick him until he has a breakthrough innings. Just rubbish. These Marsh brothers have been given numerous chances to cement their spots in the team. Someone like Maxwell is given two chances and even if he performs admirably they still don't bring him back. If you give Maxwell as many chances as the Marsh brothers he'd have massive scores and big performances against his name at Test level.
Don Freo
Guest
Doug Walters an all rounder? In what universe, David? A batsman who rolled out some gentle outies at half rat power. You seem to be locked into a world that actually never happened.
Jordan c
Guest
Glad someone said it, Shaun has been decent since India. No drama's with having him there.
Jon boy
Guest
100% correct regarding the 8 byes were clearly wides Bad umpiring !