Mitch Marsh must perform in the Perth Test or be dropped for Boxing Day, writes Russell Gould

THE more you look at it, the more puzzling it is why Mitch Marsh was selected over Peter Handscomb for the third Test. RUSSELL GOULD believes Marsh must make runs today or be banished.

The pressure is building on Mitch Marsh in Perth. Picture: Getty Images

DAY three at the WACA will determine whether Mitch Marsh has what it takes at Test level, or open the door for a Victorian to play in the Boxing Day Test.

Marsh was brought in as an all-rounder, despite his moderate Test batting average of 21 and just 29 wickets in his 21 games under the baggy green, replacing Peter Handscomb, who has two Test centuries in the past 12 months and a batting average of 47.

When the man known as “Bison” strides to the flat WACA wicket sometime today, in what looms as perfect batting conditions against an English attack one bowler down, arguably their best performed bowler in Perth too in Mark Overton, he has absolutely no excuses to not thrive.

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Marsh was put out to pasture earlier this year, sent for a shoulder reconstruction after he failed to perform in India. Originally that was going to rule him out of Test contention for some time. That and his ordinary output.

He started the summer as a batsman only for Western Australia too, so as an all-rounder, surely he was out of contention.

As a batsman only though, plenty, especially the national selector panel, are adamant Marsh thrived.

They must have missed his three single figure scores across the opening two Sheffield Shield games this season, including totals of 0 and 6 against the only Test level attack he faced when he was twice dismissed by Josh Hazlewood against NSW.

Mitch Marsh struggled with the ball in the first innings. Picture: AAP Images

Buy anyway, Marsh did indeed get his eye in when the Warriors returned to the WACA, knocking up a 141 against Queensland.

He is averaging 68.75 on his home deck this summer, with a 95 in there too, and selectors, even though they picked him because he started bowling again in the third round of the Shield, believe Marsh, who managed just two 50s in 35 Test innings before today, can do a better job at number six than Handscomb who has more runs in his 12 Tests, 805, than Marsh compiled in 21, 675.

Marsh averaged just 11 in the seven Test innings after his most recent, and only his second, 50.

He was out in single figures four times batting at number six as his form fell off a cliff and seemed, to most regular and casual observers, just not up to it.

But apparently, he’s different now.

“I think he’s tightened his defence quite a lot,” Aussie skipper Steve Smith said before the Test began.

Peter Handscomb took this amazing catch to dismiss Dawid Malan. Picture: AAP Images

Smith had been watching him in the nets you see, and the live stream of those Shield innings.

“He hits the ball as hard as anyone I’ve seen. He’s a strong lad. To have that positive intent, cash in on loose bowling, but good balls you’re allowed to defend them,” Smith said.

“It was about finding that defence that worked for him. He’s tightened up a lot in defence which helps him.”

So for all the noise that Australia picked Marsh to bowl a few overs, to help the home team’s greatest Ashes asset, its quicks, his place in the team for the next Test in Melbourne, which could yet be a live game, really all comes down to whether he can bat or not.

It has to, because Marsh’s bowling was lacklustre in England’s first innings, so much so he bowled just nine of 115 overs. Only nine. He was the most expensive Aussie bowler too. And wicketless.

Marsh didn’t help his cause in the field, dropping a soda at first slip on the opening day. His drop was made worse when Handscomb, as a sub-fielder, took a stunning catch to break up a 237-run English partnership.

Aussie players celebrate Peter Handscomb’s amazing catch. Picture: Getty Images

So Marsh has to make runs to keep his place because Smith said Handscomb missing out was “nothing to do with the batting” of the Victorian skipper.

“It’s unlucky and the message to him is purely — from my point of view and the selectors speaking to them — is that it is for the extra bowling option,” Smith said of Handscomb’s omission.

“It’s nothing to do with the batting as such.”

Runs for Mitch Marsh today could go a long towards Australia moving in to a winning position in Perth, a position which could help them secure the urn.

But if he doesn’t get any, he shouldn’t get to play again in Melbourne, and the Boxing Day Test should get the one thing it is missing right now, a Victorian.