Mitch Marsh refuses to let Boxing Day selection uncertainty play on his mind
Mitch Marsh will be sipping on either a beer or a latte on Christmas Day but the all-rounder says the agonising wait to learn his Boxing Day Test fate won’t consume him.
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Mitch Marsh will be sipping on either a beer or a latte on Christmas Day but the all-rounder says the agonising wait to learn his Boxing Day Test fate won’t consume him.
Marsh will spend Friday exploring Melbourne before joining the Australian Test camp on Saturday as talk swirls he could replace batsman Pete Handscomb for the MCG blockbuster.
“I’ll find out probably Christmas Day I reckon, so I’ll either be having a coffee or a couple of froffies,” Marsh said.
“I’ve been in and out of the team for years, so you just get used to it.
“I’ll prepare to the best of my ability and that’s all I can control. Until I get the nod or I don’t get the nod I’ll just focus on my training. It’s pretty simple.”
Marsh, 27, was clearly frustrated with his Big Bash League failure (three runs) as Perth Scorchers were skittled for 103 in their first ever loss to the Melbourne Renegades.
“We didn’t really sum up the conditions early enough, all of us basically got out playing cross-bat shots and I think it’s really important on this wicket that you’re playing straight,” Marsh said.
“It’s quite skiddy and low, so that’s a really good lesson for us.”
Asked about his own knock, Marsh said: “You want me to walk you through the five balls or…? What do you want me to say, mate?”
Marsh – who captained the Scorchers but did not bowl himself at Marvel Stadium – said the sudden switch from red-ball cricket to Twenty20 was not a factor.
“We do that so often these days that you just get used to it,” he said.
“I was really excited about tonight, and probably I showed how excited I was (with my shot).
“I usually like to give myself a bit more time to get in and I was just really amped. That’s a good lesson for me.
“That short early in my innings is not in my game plan, so that’s disappointing.”
Marsh tried to heave Jack Wildermuth over mid-wicket but hit him straight up in the air to trigger Perth’s collapse.
Marsh was confident he could help Australia break the 1-1 series deadlock against India despite not scoring more than 44 runs from his past six Sheffield Shield knocks.
“I’ve said it a few times now – I’m feeling really good,” he said.
“I feel in the nets that I’m hitting the ball really well and I’m ready to go, it’s just about getting the opportunity.
“And if I do get in it’s cashing in on a big one. That’s something I haven’t been able to do the last couple of weeks but ultimately I’m still feeling really confident if I do get the opportunity.”
The Test vice-captain averaged just 7.5 runs for Australia in the two-match series against Pakistan in October.
“I wasn’t necessarily surprised (I was dropped),” Marsh said.
“I went in (to the first Test against India) the attitude that I was going to be playing, so I was disappointed.
“I tried to tell myself that I always (put) the Team first and as disappointed as I was, if they felt six batters was the best option for the team I was happy with that.
“My job was to run the drinks as best I could and so I did.”
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