Mitch’s time to stake a claim
IF you want to know what West Australian cricket folk think of the Marsh family, you don’t have to stop the man in the street.
Just go to Gate 8 at the WACA, turn left and you will see 52 photos along the boundary wall featuring all of West Australia’s Test players, from pioneer John Rutherford to recent inclusion Cam Bancroft and the likes of Dennis Lillee in between.
But before the walk of fame you get to the much more prominent walk of the Marshes, a giant billboard fastened along the side of the entrance where, under the banner “Creating history. Inspiring champions’’, there are three massive action photos of Geoff Marsh and sons Mitchell and Shaun.
It was put there a couple of years ago and during that time the boys’ careers have gone up, down, around the Cape of Good Hope, and back again.
At times the billboard seemed a bit grandiose. But not to the locals, who never said they admired the Marsh family in a Lillee-Adam Gilchrist sort of way, just that they enjoyed their rough and tumble journey and the way they keep battling against frequent setback and relentless criticism.
There’s always been the hope, however, the billboard could be prophetic and the boys would truly nail their international careers. Locals are hoping that day has arrived with Shaun and, in all likelihood Mitchell, to play in the third Ashes Test.
Steve Smith’s declaration that Mitchell will return to Test cricket with softer hands than he left it is significant for it was often felt he used to be a batting Bam Bam who might use a sledgehammer to swat a mosquito. It’s a key improvement.
Mitchell’s significant potential has teased Australia. When he captained Australia to an under-19 World Cup title his name had a gold star beside it.
He was the boy with a bullet and within a year or two he was tipped as the man who could captain Australia after Michael Clarke. But injuries, poor form and the occasional disciplinary lapse saw him slip from favour.
His fast-medium pace is presentable at Test level but Australia has always worried about injuries.
A Test batting average of 21 was never quite up to it at No. 6 but he now has the chance to spruce up those numbers.
So what’s a pass mark for Mitchell Marsh? If he can average early 30s with the bat and take a wicket and a half a Test then it could be happy days. Just because he’s on the poster, Mitchell does not have to be a poster boy. A serviceable career could be a very precious one for Australia.