Mitch still lethal Cup weapon
MITCH Marsh missed most of the home summer, including the BBL title charge by his Perth Scorchers, after having surgery to prolong a career interrupted by injury.
The star all-rounder hasn’t yet begun bowling again and Australian selectors could perhaps tell him to keep it that way to preserve the body of his team’s biggest World Cup weapon.
Having been man of the final in Australia’s T20 World Cup win in 2021, Marsh was the key in an ODI series win in India that provided a blueprint for the World Cup in the subcontinent this year.
The victory also elevated the Aussies to No.1, making them the top team in Test and ODI cricket.
While Adam Zampa (4-41) and Ashton Agar (2-45) took six wickets to halt what appeared an Indian charge to victory in the decider in Chennai, Marsh set up the win.
Opening the batting in all three games, including the third despite the return of David Warner, Marsh got off to a flyer with some bludgeoning boundaries.
He and Travis Head put on 68 for the first wicket, with Head out first before Marsh followed, having struck eight boundaries and a six in his innings of 47.
It took Marsh’s series tally to 194 runs, at an average of 97, with a mammoth 24 fours and 12 sixes. For context, none of his teammates scored more than 100 runs in the series, and the rest of the team together hit eight sixes.
Marsh was named man of the series and conceded batting without bowling was “easier on the body”. But he won’t put that part of his game away, knowing how dangerous a team full of allrounders can be in a World Cup in India.
“It’s fantastic (to bat without bowling). It’s certainly a lot easier on the body and I was a lot fresher when I was batting,” he said. “But I love bowling and I love the fact we have all-rounders in our squad. It gives our captain a lot of options.
“Stoin (Marcus Stoinis) had to bowl 10 overs and I felt bad for him … it’s a long time since he’s had to do that. It’s also about being there for my mates and making sure I give the skipper as many options as I can. Hopefully, the bowling is not too far away.”
Having lost the opening match of the series, the Aussies won matches two and three to make a World Cup statement, having used players including Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
Marsh also said he loved the opportunity to open but knows it may not be permanent as Australia plots its path to the World Cup.