Opportunity knocks for Melbourne Renegades recruit Shaun Marsh to press claims for Twenty20 World Cup berth
Shaun Marsh will press his claims for a berth in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad in this summer’s Big Bash League, with Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch leaving the door ajar for the veteran batsman to reignite his international career.
Big Bash
Don't miss out on the headlines from Big Bash. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch says Shaun Marsh’s international days are far from over, declaring the boom Renegades recruit the world’s most underrated Twenty20 batsman.
The 36-year-old played the last of his 38 Tests in January and has not featured in Australia’s T20 side since 2016.
Marsh sits 10th on the all-time BBL run scorers list, boasting the best average of any player with more than 1000 runs in the tournament’s history.
He was a member of Australia’s ODI World Cup squad but has not been named for next month’s tour of India.
“Honestly, I think he is the most underrated T20 player in the world,” Finch said.
“You look at his IPL numbers, Big Bash, anytime he’s played for Australia. His numbers are extraordinary.
“He might go about it slightly different to what some other guys do. He’s someone that generally takes a few more balls at the start of his innings to get going.
“But once he gets into his innings and faces a few balls he’s unstoppable.
“(He’s) as underrated as anyone in the world.”
The veteran batsman will feature at No. 3 for the Renegades in their BBL09 opener against Sydney Thunder tomorrow night, with Sam Harper to partner Finch.
“I think it’s important we let Shaun play his natural game and not expect anything more than what he’s done in the past for Australia and Perth Scorchers,” Finch said.
“He’s going to be a key player for us. If you look at his record he averages 50 in T20 cricket in Australia. There’s no one better than that.”
MORE CRICKET NEWS:
Marnus Labuschagne to join millionaires’ row in 2020 as an all-format superstar for Australia
BBL: Usman Khawaja survives umpire howler
A last-minute guide to playing SuperCoach BBL
The West Australian was one of the leading scorers in this summer’s Marsh Cup with 389 runs and has compiled 600 Sheffield Shield runs, 32 more than any other player.
Finch said Marsh, Callum Ferguson and D’Arcy Short would be in the mix for next year’s T20 World Cup, but warned “there still has to be a spot for guys to be picked.”
Wicketkeeper-batsman Harper raced to a 46-ball hundred against Melbourne Stars in a trial match this week to stamp himself as Finch’s opening partner.
English paceman Richard Gleeson, who has replaced Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Ashraf in the defending champion’s squad, is set to debut against the Thunder in Geelong.
The Renegades squad for their opening game of BBL09 will be named today.
BBL’S TOP RUN SCORERS
Chris Lynn (Heat) — 1954 runs, 62 innings
Michael Klinger (Strikers/Scorchers) — 1947 runs, 71 innings
Aaron Finch (Renegades) — 1889 runs, 54 innings
Ben Dunk (Strikers, Hurricanes, Stars, Thunder) — 1563 runs, 66 innings
Cameron White (Renegades, Stars, Strikers) — 1546 runs, 68 innings
George Bailey (Hurricanes, Stars) — 1500 runs, 58 innings
Luke Wright (Melbourne Stars) — 1479 runs, 57 innings
Moises Henriques (Sydney Sixers) — 1478 runs, 65 innings
Nic Maddinson (Stars, Sixers) — 1464 runs, 66 innings
Shaun Marsh (Scorchers, Renegades) — 1435 runs, 37 innings