Mitch Marsh averaged 10 with the bat and 59 with the ball in his last six Tests. Yet somehow he is a strong chance to replace batsman Matt Wade for the blockbuster fourth Ashes Test.
The maligned all-rounder was axed last summer, during Australia’s home series loss to India, after scores of 10, 9, 5, 13, 0, 12, 0, 4, 16, 5, 45 and 4 across his previous six matches.
While his bowling probably kept him in the side early in his career, making up for his lack of runs, in recent years Marsh has struggled badly with the ball, too.
Since the start of 2016, he has averaged 63 with the ball, taking a mere 14 wickets from 19 Tests. What’s more, he has neither offered a wicket-taking threat, nor been able to tie down an end, going at 3.5 runs per over.
Mitch Marsh (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
When playing on a road of a pitch against a strong batting line-up like India, for example, then possessing a fifth bowling option is crucial – even if it had to be Marsh.
Right now, though, Marsh’s potential recall makes so little sense it boggles the mind.
Firstly, in the last three Tests at Old Trafford, seven times teams have been bowled out for scores between 152 and 243.
Secondly, England have an extremely weak batting line-up with, only Ben Stokes in form.
Thirdly, Australia already have a solid fifth bowling option in Marnus Labuschagne, who has taken 23 wickets at 36 in first-class cricket in the UK this season.
Which means Marsh’s bowling is surplus to requirements, while his leaden-footed batting is particularly unsuited to English conditions.
On flat pitches that offer minimal lateral movement, Marsh’s poor footwork is not fully exposed. Once the ball starts swinging or seaming, though, his technique falls apart like a soggy sandwich.
In England, South Africa and New Zealand, where quicks get decent assistance from the conditions, Marsh has averaged 15 with the bat from nine Tests.
Reportedly, part of the reason he is in contention for a recall is that he is a right-hander. Apparently the selectors believe that having four left-handers in their top seven is excessive, due to how well England’s quicks have bowled at them this series.
That is as flimsy a justification as you could imagine for recalling a player with such a poor recent record with the willow.
It also calls into question Australia’s decision not to pick a larger squad. If Wade is to be dropped – after five failures and a crucial ton in this series – it would have made far more sense to recall Joe Burns or even Kurtis Patterson, who made a wonderful start to his Test career last summer.
Australia have left themselves with unnecessarily limited batting options.
Marsh is not the answer. He wasn’t the answer last time. Or the time before that. Ten years into his first-class career, he’s unlikely to ever be the answer.
Jero
Roar Rookie
Apparently Mitch is the answer after all.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
John, The result is immaterial to the fact that SRW acted as a sole selector.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
That’s a really poorly chosen example, given that Australia won the final test of the series (without Warne) to draw the series. Even if Steve Waugh was the sole selector or sole vote against Warne (considerable conjecture about that), it was the correct decision and produced the required result.
Ken
Guest
Absolutely correct. If his name was something other than Marsh, he would not have had this many opportunities to fail.
Paul
Roar Guru
I don't think it's either fair or reasonable to write off a guy who clearly has plenty of talent, TCL, certainly enough to play at the top level if he made enough tweaks to his technique and really applied these in games. I hope you're right and in the future we do see him in the Test side because he deserves to be there, purely on performances, rather than this desire selectors have to bring in an all rounder.
mrrexdog
Roar Guru
Go watch his test century in India, didn’t hit a 4 till he was on 40 Made it to 50 off 95 balls, made the 100 off 180 balls. You can have a look at the highlights if you want https://www.cricket.com.au/video/glenn-maxwell-test-hundred-india-australia-third-test-ranchi-video-highlights/2017-03-17
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
I like to think that he’s worked on it and improved. His batting form on Tour has been good. It may be too early to put him in, but hopefully he’s finally got his technique on an upward trajectory. We can hope, anyway.
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
Good call, get JL on the blower...
Charlie Turner
Guest
"What's wrong with Maxwell." Picture this scenario: Australia in under the pump at 4-56 in the first innings which Jack Leach taking 3-10 in the first session. Enter the "Big Show', he takes guard and hits the first three balls he faces over Leach's head for 4, 4 and 6. He then reverse sweeps the fourth ball straight to backward point and the catch is taken. Hang on! The review shows a no ball and Maxies reprieved. He plays a straight bat to the fifth ball and gets a single to deep mid on off the last......he's learnt his lesson and we've got a big score coming. "The Big Show" has a steely look in his eye as Broard runs in to bowl. It's short of a length just outside off and Maxie plays the ramp......misses the ball but there's a big shout. WTF!!! Snicko shows the balls rubs his glove or maybe it was his forearm hair wadded up behind his sweatband? Either way he trudges off shaking his head at his cursed luck. Glen Maxwell, circus act or test cricketer?
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Ronan well hehehe - how could anyone with a brain disagree with you about M Marsh. His stats would have got you dropped from a State Sheffield Shield squad 10 yrs ago. And that's why he'll likely be picked for the 4th Test :)
sheek
Roar Guru
qwetzen, I have some first-hand family history on the Waugh's that might, or might not, support some of your character assertions. But that's all I can say. I'm familiar with the background to Waugh's dropping of Warne. Of course, when making these decisions, or pretty much any decision, you have to take into account unintended consequences, which I don't know if Waugh did, or cared about. In ignoring the advice of other key players, does Waugh regret losing the friendship of Warne? Does he even care? Of course, Warne also has to take some flak. His response was incredibly childish & brattish. Very similar to Wally Lewis, when he was rubbed out of the 1990 Kangaroos tour through injury, as skipper & player.
Nick
Roar Guru
When you aren't in the team you try harder I guess.
Nick
Roar Guru
yeah, fair enough there.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Head staying on!
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Praise Jeebus! He hasn't been selected
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Definitely. Lots of players are like that these days. In fact, most of the left-hand batsmen playing for Australia over the last 20 years are actually right-handers in every other way. Warner is, pretty sure Khawaja is, can't think of Harris off the top of my head, Wade is, Travis Head is. Going back a bit, Hussey was, Gilchrist was. Michael Clarke was a lefty who batted right-handed. They are all over the place these days to the point where we probably need to come up with different terms for the two ways to bat rather than "left-handed" and "right-handed".
Paul
Roar Guru
I assume those who think MM is not so good in the field are perhaps comparing him to Warner, Smith, etc and on that basis, he's a bit of a dud but if he's compared with some of the bigger guys in the team, he's certainly no slouch. IMO, we've probably seen the last of Marsh in Tests, unless the selectors have a brain fade in this series, but he should not be discounted for short form cricket, where his record is much better
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Sheekie, my reference to Selfish Roger was about him being a 'sole' selector. The story goes that he was the only one of the three selectors on the WI tour who wanted to drop Warne. He refused to accept the 2-1 vote against him, even ignoring the sought advice of AB, and pouted that it was his way or the highway. Whether the decision to drop SKW was right or wrong is immaterial to SRW's dictatorial attitude. Warne is a Grade A kn0b (his continual slagging of John Buchanan frinstance) but I do agree with his summation of SRW; "Steve Waugh was the most selfish player I ever played with and was only worried about averaging 50."
Paul
Roar Guru
Granted the guys down the order haven't had a great series to date, but at least they had some very good form leading in, either in Tests ( in Head's case) or in long form cricket ( in Wade's case). MM's form in both these types has been indifferent IMO and that's based on a technique perfect for the WACA or WA conditions, but not so much when the ball moves around.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
I don't doubt this is Khawaja's last Ashes series. But I'd still be dropping a few other batsmen before him. And I don't think Australia (or England for that matter) will score over 300 in this next Test. Based on recent Test matches at Old Trafford I think we'll be doing well if we get to 250.