Shaun Marsh’s classy double ton for Western Australia has not only reinforced his Test credentials, it has proven he is more resistant to environmental factors than batteries, styrofoam and Shane Warne’s face.
With the 38-Test veteran’s timely reminder to selectors thrusting him back into national contention, leading ecologists now believe his imperishable prospects have surpassed plastic bags for non-biodegradability.
As scientific research has attested, plastic requires approximately 1000 years to decompose, which is about half the time Marsh has been afforded to hit his straps at national level.
The West Australian’s stunning 214 against a Victorian attack of Peter Siddle, Scott Boland and James Pattinson was delivered at the ripe old age of 36, a typical stage when a human begins to rot and undergo significant changes, such as switching from Twitter to Facebook.
This would usually mean consignment to the scrapheap for someone of Marsh’s ilk, with selectors traditionally uninterested in giving a mandate to middle-aged batsmen with the impending resilience of Shane Watson’s firewall.
However, considering the compost-like state of Australia’s batting – and, to a lesser extent, his double-hunj – opinion is growing the environmentally-indestructible Marsh could be in line for his 64th Test recall, provided he is not tangled around the leg of a turtle.
Shaun Marsh (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
After being overlooked for Ashes selection due to a broken arm sustained by Pat Cummins – a move some Australians argue as responsible for elevating the seamer to the captaincy debate – again Australia is preparing for Marsh, and Marsh is preparing for Australia.
For those who haven’t burned his effigy, the veteran’s career began with a bang when he announced himself on the international stage in 2011 with a tremendous Test century on debut. It was a fatal mistake from which he would never recover.
From here, he has been slaughtered for wrongly being in the nation’s top-six best options amid an epidemic of dreadful batsmen, while also wearing blame for not rescuing Australia from things like embarrassing collapses and the second season of Love Island.
Despite this, selectors have been unable to resist Marsh’s sublime optics, with his pristine technique combining sumptuous driving and cutting with an overpowering instinct to score aerially through the slip cordon.
This has led to accusations from the public of selection bias, a controversy that has not only engulfed Marsh, but also fellow family members such as brother Mitch, father Swampy, and great-grandfather Rodney.
While universally denied, these claims have resurfaced with Mitch remaining in Test contention despite sustaining a broken hand from punching a wall, with selectors claiming a fifth-day wicket with cracks opening always requires someone who knows a plasterer.
Mitch Marsh (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
But despite his popularity at the selection table, it hasn’t been enough to cement Shaun’s spot. This has been even more apparent in recent years as he became unsuited to Australia’s new batting prototype, a style which solely focuses on not running-out Steve Smith.
Now Marsh’s double-ton has thrust him back to the forefront, not only because the nation remains buried in a landfill of perishable middle-order batsmen, but also because he’s not Joe Burns.
He will be difficult to rule out for yet another recall should the cards fall in his favour, especially considering we live in weird times of names and numbers on shirts and a Test skipper who just scored his first century since the premiere of Bondi Rescue.
Additionally, Marsh’s preference among Australia’s hierarchy remains strong.
Not only has the top brass provided a subtle endorsement by naming the domestic competition in his honour, Justin Langer has created a new environment of fluid selection principles, which is mainly selecting anyone from Perth who can hit him laces-out with the Sherrin.
Marty
Roar Rookie
Who said anything about ‘world beating’, I think the word Johnno used was ‘solid’. As far as I’m concerned anyone who had the balls to open the batting once against the WI during that period in a dodgy grill-less helmet deserves a bloody medal (or at least a bit of respect) and he did it 20 times. Instead he gets to watch his sons cop abuse on a daily basis, whether it’s the blatant abuse on other websites or the subtle piss taking such as the article above.
anon
Roar Pro
Geoff Marsh was an awful ODI player.
anon
Roar Pro
He's 36 and has a batting average of 34. He's a mediocre Test player. I don't get this fascination with a 34 average batsman? They're a dime a dozen. Travis Head is 25 and averages 42. What's going on here? Same with the golden child Mitch Marsh. I have a theory that he broke his hand so he would be recalled straight into the Test side when it heals. If he was forced to play for the next 6 weeks, there's a good chance he'd go through a barren run and not be picked. But now the selectors will point to his performance at the Oval and say yep we need to pick him. He's in great form and has turned the corner.
U
Roar Rookie
All three Marsh cricket players were and are good limited overs players. Shaun Marsh should’ve been in the ODI side much more often. Mitch may one day captain the Aussie limited overs sides
U
Roar Rookie
It’s difficult for the Marshes to fathom an average of 40
U
Roar Rookie
Yes the Marsh family seem to be allergic to the average of 40 at test level. They’re all good limited overs players however.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
“From here, he has been slaughtered for wrongly being in the nation’s top-six best options amid an epidemic of dreadful batsmen”...” but also because he’s not Joe Burns.” Great stuff, Dane. I think people are taking it a bit too seriously.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
9 centuries & 22 half centuries in ODI, not bad. I agree he is not a star, never has been, but calling him over rated is a bit over the top. I actually have never heard anyone rate him, so don’t understand the comment other than maybe a typical hater. As Rellum says, easy going guy.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It still makes the point that there is no favouritism by JL. Marsh, Stoinis, Phillippe, Kelly, Richardson, Agar have all started well enough to be in discussion for Australian honours. None are. The only one that has been in discussion has been Marsh...and that has just been for the sport of abuse.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I loved Swampy as a kid, he went out there and gave it his all with a limited game, great cover drive and square cut. A decent pull shot when he rarely used it. He was one of our best openers in One Day cricket and a gun in the gully. Plus the well reported team man. No he is not one of the greats but the way people talk him down is pathetic at times.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I know you've said this so much lately, but really, these players have unselected themselves through significantly bad performances. Both Marshes were picked in Langers test sides after he took over only to both fail so badly there was really little option but to drop them. Bancroft was brought back very quickly, Stoinis has been selected as a backup a few times despite a terrible first class record. The reason there are so few WA players in the test side at the moment is that, apart from Richardson, there really isn't anyone who has the performances to suggest they should be in the team. In the case of Shaun Marsh scoring a double century here, I cite just last season, where, after not reach double figures in the UAE, he came back and dominated the first 3 rounds of the shield, effectively "demanding" selection, only to fail badly again at test level when picked. And he's done that the last few times he's been picked at test level to the point where him scoring a heap of Shield runs really isn't a good reason to pick him for the test team yet again. He's been tried and failed over and over again, time to move on.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Geoff Marsh managed 4 hundreds in 50 tests for an average of 33. Hardly a world beating opener. 10 of those 50 matches were against that West Indies attack you allude to, and he averaged 23 against them. But his average of 53 in one test against Sri Lanka is the only nation he averaged over 40 against. So can't just blame it being against "the most fearful attack". He was certainly never a great test batsman. Average at best. So to an extent his kids have managed to live up to that too.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
Geez you blokes know no bounds when it comes to the hate factor. His over rated father. Solid test opener that faced the most fearful attack...a very gutsy team man. And a damn good national coach.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The article is cheaper than a plastic bag. Since JL took over, almost all West Aussies have been left out of the team. The Roar's version of satire is nastiness by cliche.
Bearfax
Roar Guru
Shaun Marsh is the sort of batsman you go to if there is no one else in the younger brigade making a noise. He's got an outstanding talent when he's on, but too often as we've seen time and again, he falters. The important issue is to look at his first class average of 41.3 and his test average of 34.3. His test average which is little better than his over rated father, is from 68 innings, more than enough to develop his game and up his value. But he's a flashy player who will score big on occasions (and too often just before tests) but then gets out for single figures in tests 28 times, which us an astonishing 41% of his test scores. In fact he has been out in tests 54.4% of his innings for less than 20. His last 19 innings average 18.1. Yet Khawaja who must be punch drunk from the criticisms laid against him has averaged 33.9 for the same last 19 innings. I thought for a bit that Marsh had finally tightened his play, but his recent test efforts have been abysmal. But of course if we didn't have a young player worthy of test play, sure Marsh may be the answer. But we have this kid Pucovski averaging near 46 in first class averages, Kurt Patterson averaging at first class level 41.3, Burns at test level 40.1, Head at test level 42.7, the rising Labuschagne averaging at test level 37.5 and we want to fall back on Marsh? The game needs fresh faces. Marsh has had his day surely
Jeff
Roar Rookie
He does average 65 from his 15 innings batting at #5 or #6 in Australia, which you’d think is where he would bat, were he to be selected.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
Perhaps you should read Paul's post a little bit more carefully. He did not refer to Pucovski's test record, only mentioned the other two in his post.
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
Of course Marsh has a better Test record than Pucovski, the kid hasn’t played a Test yet. Although young Will’s FC record is stronger than Marsh’s with four 100s and four 50s at an average of 46 in 16 FC matches compared with Marsh’s average of 41 with 27 centuries across 160 FC matches. BTW, there’s never been a debate about Marsh’s talent. It’s that at Test level there is a massive gulf between his best and his worst. When he’s on, he scores centuries, when he’s off he’s averaging 2 against India in Australia.
Dutski
Roar Guru
...but also because he's not Joe Burns. Nailed it, Eldridge!
Paul
Roar Guru
In typical Dane Eldridge fashion, you've got this exactly right. Others are suggesting Puckovski, Harris and Maddinson should all be considered for selection, so why not S Marsh? He's got the runs on the board and his Test record's a damn sight better than two of these guys - even though it's not great. If he can make a double ton at 36,, it can't be an age thing that keeps him out. I wonder if Langer will consider subbing on Mitch Marsh if those cracks do appear?