Marsh’s return is likely

SHAUN Marsh is bullish about overcoming injury to bolster Australia’s struggling batting line-up in tomorrow’s one-day international against South Africa.

Marsh missed Australia’s heavy loss in the Perth series opener because of an abscess on his buttock.

“He is pretty positive that he’ll be right for Friday,” Australia’s vice-captain Alex Carey said yesterday. “Shaun obviously last series over in England was sensational, he scored two hundreds for us.

“So for SOS (Marsh) to come in at three and probably play a bit of an anchor role around some of those top order explosive players ... it’s a little bit of stability up the top, hopefully.”

Australia sank to a sixwicket loss in Perth, with the South Africans coasting to victory with 124 balls to spare.

But Carey was adamant the defeat didn’t sap the spirit of the Aussies, who have lost seven in a row amid 17 losses in their past 19 ODIs.

“We’re really confident still, obviously the conditions were quite tough over there but that’s no excuse,” he said.

“The work we’re doing off the field with JL (coach Justin Langer) and the players coming in, we’re doing so much good stuff and it’s going to start to show.

“We’re really confident that it’s going to turn really soon.

“We don’t feel under pressure internally ... we obviously want to win, that’s what we’re playing for.”

Spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar are in the selection frame for the Adelaide Oval day-night match.