Serious questions must be asked about the immediate Test futures of the Marsh brothers, despite Mitch Marsh’s ascension to the role of Australian vice-captain.
As Australia have been dominated in the first Test against Pakistan this week, the Marsh brothers have combined to contribute just 19 runs from their four innings. A deeper look into their Test records reveals some damning stats.
Shaun Marsh has become a liability away from home, averaging just 16 in his past nine Tests outside Australia, while Mitch Marsh no longer deserves his all-rounder status, having averaged 75 with the ball in his past 15 Tests.
Across those same 15 Tests, Mitch Marsh has averaged only 29 with the bat, with that average pumped up by a dominant three-Test run at home against a dispirited England team.
The younger Marsh was incredible in the Ashes, but that series looks like an anomaly when compared with the remainder of his Test career.
Mitch Marsh’s Test batting record:
In the 2017 Ashes – 320 runs at 106
In his 26 other Tests – 862 runs at 21
I must admit that, watching Mitch Marsh in the Ashes, I thought he had finally turned a corner with his batting. His defence, both front and back foot appeared much tighter, and his shot selection seemed to have improved markedly.
Mitch Marsh in happier times. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
But in ten Test innings since that series he has averaged just 19. Throughout his four-year Test career Mitch Marsh’s batting has been given leeway by the selectors due to his role as an all-rounder, the idea being that he brings balance to the side by being a good fifth bowler.
That was true, to an extent, earlier in his career when he was an effective seamer. In his first dozen Tests, Mitch Marsh took 21 wickets at an average of 31 and his bowling had a significant impact on five matches in that time.
But the 26-year-old has been of minimal value with the ball for a long time now, taking just nine wickets at an average of 75 in his last 15 Tests.
Not only has he badly lacked penetration – his strike rate is 121 in that period – but he hasn’t even built pressure for his captain due to his very high economy rate of 3.72 runs per over.
In short, he has offered neither a wicket taking option nor the ability to hold up an end. This helps explain why he is used sparingly by new Test captain Tim Paine, who waited 85 overs in Pakistan’s first innings at Dubai before eventually tossing the ball to Marsh.
With Marsh’s bowling no longer providing value then his position must be earned by making runs and, outside of that golden Ashes, he has never achieved that. Which is why his spot should be under threat from Glenn Maxwell, who has a career first-class batting average of 41 and who averaged 50 in the Shield last summer.
Compare the international bowling records, across all three formats, of each player:
Mitch Marsh – 81 wickets at 39
Glenn Maxwell – 77 wickets at 36
Now tell me why Maxwell could not take on Marsh’s role of sending down, on average, just 13 overs per Test. Australia have so much firepower among their leading specialist bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon that the fifth bowler is typically relegated to a minor role.
Surely, then, this limited role could be entrusted to someone like Maxwell, who has done a reasonable job with the ball for Australia in all three formats.
It is time Mitch Marsh is judged solely on his batting returns, rather than the waters being muddied by his supposed value as an all-rounder. His brother, meanwhile, is fortunate that Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are all currently banned.
Shaun Marsh, too, had a sensational Ashes series, but his form away from home is dire.
Australia have no problems finding batsmen who can make runs at home on hard flat decks, what they need is to unearth batsmen capable of flourishing on the road.
Shaun Marsh of Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Matt Renshaw showed some great signs in the Tests in India last year, averaging more than 40 against spin, despite the home side boasting champion tweakers Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja.
Joe Burns, meanwhile, might have struggled in his two Tests in Sri Lanka but only months before that he was outstanding in the series in New Zealand, averaging 79 and earning a Man of the Match award.
Renshaw and Burns both have indicated they can adapt to foreign conditions and, just like Maxwell, have also been consistently good in the Sheffield Shield.
Why, then, should Australia persist with Shaun Marsh, who has floundered in his past three overseas tours and who at 35 is some six years older than Maxwell and Burns, and 13 years older than Renshaw?
If Australia want to win the Ashes in England next year they cannot keep fielding the same cricketers who continually fail away from home.
The Marsh brothers should not be automatic Test selections this summer. Renshaw, Maxwell and Burns must be given opportunities ahead of the Ashes.
Trent
Guest
Good old nepotism. Responsible for mediocrity in all facets of society.
Bill Cosby
Guest
The Marshmallows were dismissed 8 times for 44 runs against Pakistan. When will the selectors realise that opposition teams are gifting them runs in tour matches to keep them in the Test team? The only cricket supporters that want the Marshtards playing for Australia support the opposition.
Mervyn Graham
Guest
It wasn't Steve Waugh that destroyed Darryl Cullinan, it was Shane Warne. Warne got him out every innings, and most times within the completion of his first over.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Stoinis averages 46 with the ball in first class cricket. That doesn't make him a bowling option at all.The only time Stoinis would get the ball was when fielding at mid-on and throwing it to the bowler. Neither Marsh nor Stoinis are a test number six but when fit, Marsh's bowling was at least worth looking at. I am not sure why we a number six batsman that can bowl. Just pick the six best batsmen, preferably including our two best openers, and if any of them can roll the arm over, then great. This quest for an all-rounder has been killing our test side's balance for over a decade. The only period it worked was a two year period around 2009/10 when Shane Watson was averaging 40 with the bat and fit to bowl. Time to let it go. If a modern day Keith Miller arrives on the scene, averaging over 40 with the bat in first class and under 25 with the ball, we will pick him.
Jero
Roar Rookie
Is it just me, or does anyone else think that, along with Maxwell, Stoinis is an outside possibility as a bowling number 6 batsman down the track? Sure, his first class average is low (32) and his first class bowling average isn't very flash either (46). I'd go with Maxwell at no. 6, but I don't see how Mitch Marsh is body lengths ahead of Stoinis at all.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Mitch started the South African series in that good form but fell in a hole during that 'series from hell'. If he cant perform now when he is needed the most, he needs to move out, not up.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
When Shane Watson had played the number of tests that Mitch Marsh has, he was averaging almost 40 with the bat and under 30 with the ball. Marsh - 28 with the bat and 43 with the ball. Yeah... good comparison. Symonds averaged 40.61 batting, 37.33 bowling and probably saved the side 30 runs an innings with his fielding, so he still looks great lined up against Mitch Marsh. For the record, Mitch had a great home Ashes series with the bat (who didn't. Flat pitches and crap pommy bowling), started the South Africa series well and deserved his selection for this series, given our unsettled side without Smith and co. That doesn't mean he should not have to retain his position on the strength of his own performance. No runs against Pakistan and his Indian series should be assured.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Shield pitches would need to return to offering a contest between bat and ball, adding even greater validity to the selection process. Obviously, it makes far too much sense to ever be a chance. Instead, let's change the focus for test selection. Forget about First Class averages, hundreds and fifties. We will focus on centuries in any format, because its obvious that smashing a hundred on a flat 20 or 50 over pitch, with no slips and the field spread is vital for success on an Indian turner or lively South African seamer. Secondly, lets see what percentage of a players scores get to 30. That's now an important number because it minimises the chance of collapses. What a crock! Then we have our former coach preaching for selectors to go with Darcy Short and Chris Lynn for the summer tests. WTF!!! Lynn, despite having a decent FC average, currently doesn't play shield because his fragile body cant cope more than a single day's play. As for Short, his FC average is 23 with a highest score of 66. How can anyone think thats a good idea?
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
After Flintoff hurt us during the 2005 Ashes, our selectors commenced their quest for the holy grail. Enter Shane Watson... replaced by Mitch Marsh. To be fair, both these players were seen as batsmen who could bat in the top six and be damaging with the ball, rather than a frontline bowler who can also bat in the top order. To Watson's credit, there was an 18 month period (2009/10)where he contributed regularly with bat and ball. Yet he was maligned by all and sundry. No wonder the "Mitch Marsh Project" looks like a train wreck.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Mike Hussey did play Shield after retiring from international cricket but only to finish that 2013 season. As you point out, the vast majority of retiring greats play their final first class game in their last test. Given that those international players play so rarely for their state sides because of rep duties, how beneficial for young players to have them play a season or two of shield cricket after they retire from tests? Experienced players Like Brad Hodge, must have been worth gold to the up and coming players in his team.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Your Hughes comment is interesting. His Shield numbers were excellent but after his honeymoon first test series in South Africa (415 @ 69), his test numbers were poor. Once test bowlers knew not to feed him short and wide outside off, his runs dried up (ave 27). Sadly, we will never know whether the very talented Hughes could have successfully returned to test cricket, but his test career should be noted. Though very young, his first class figures were outstanding, yet rarely repeated at the next level. That our selectors expect players averaging 28 - 35 in FC to excel at test level, is either desperation or lunacy. Perhaps both. Michael Bevan averaged 57 over a long first class career yet couldn't average 30 in tests. We need to stop setting our players up for failure. If they can't average more than 35 on familiar home pitches, they are unlikely to find much success overseas. Obviously, mere numbers don't paint the whole picture and selecting players for the conditions makes sense, So does recognising that the skills required to make test runs on lively South African pitches or Indian turners re very different to smashing a couple of hundreds on flat one day and 20 over wickets with no slips and fields spread.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Um...they were
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
We were fairly proud of the 1987 World Cup winning side. At Bellerieve in 1999, we had reason to be very proud of our test win over Pakistan, largely thanks to Langer and Gilchrist. Just last year we were rather proud of our Team after the test win over India in Pune. Now, we are justifiably proud of a hard fought draw, and against the odds. There are still some danger signs. The first innings collapse, is one. More full of heart efforts like this and some will believe again. Fans can be fickle, if we had lost a couple of wickets because of a close decision going the other way, would we be equally as proud of a hard fought loss?... We should be. We were proud a the effort in a close MCG Ashes loss in '82/83, weren't we?
Wise Old Elf
Guest
We all know the only reason the Marsh bros are in the team was because their dad's connections. Seriously you get better players in club cricket. Good old nepotism. What a friggin joke that this goes on in the national team.
Rob
Guest
There was probably 11 players at Steve Waugh's disposal that made that era invincible. Darryl Cullinan wasn't really batting long enough to get sledged.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
And you are perfectly entitled to that opinion. I'll simply point out that if the block-headed Saffers hadn't persisted with their belief that he was weak on the cut for his first two Tests then his Test average would have been 26.3. Oh and btw, tall batsmen are the ones who struggled at the old WACA. More for the bowlers to hit y'see. One of the traditional laughs of the Oz Shield season is the WA side in a huddle. All the bowlers are Moody/Reid height while the batters look like they should be following Snow White around. Their slip cordon is often hilarious.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
'Ironically the guy that got shafted – Dean Jones has 48.66 HOME (29 tests, 7 100s) and 44.08 AWAY (23 tests 4 100s). Ah well. No justice!!' Some say he got shafted by Rod Marsh but I don't think that holds water after he played in the one day side for two more years.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
From memory Khawaja was punching out good numbers at the time in the Shield but not to the same extent Hughes that was.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I have to agree with you. I am a Mitch Marsh fan but apart from the poms last tour here he has failed to produce the goods. My worry is that Langer will do a Cheika and pick his favourites: Bancroft, Marsh by 2 and one or two of the WA bowlers.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
"We simply cannot pump another 20 tests into this guy on potential." Funny - that concept provided Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson with test careers!!