Mitch Marsh knock could keep Cameron Green out of the Ashes

Cameron Green has extra time to recover from a minor hamstring injury, but it would be hard for him to knock Mitch Marsh out of the Australian team now.

Mitch Marsh celebrates his century. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Mitch Marsh called the Cameron Green hamstring injury that opened the door for his career-defining Ashes century “very minor”, but he’s made himself close to undroppable after his stunning Headingley rescue effort.

Green, a mainstay in the Test team since his debut in 2020, has a lengthy period to recover from the injury that forced him out of the third Test, with the fourth not to begin until July 19 in Manchester.

His absence opened the door for Marsh to become the “first man to score a Test century on a UK holiday”, and a wicket with the ball late in the day increased his value against Green, who failed to fire in the opening two matches, making just 84 runs in his four innings so far.

Marsh conceded to being Green’s “understudy”, but as a veteran of a lot of tours was well aware his chance would come and he needed to seize it desperate to wear the baggy green “one more time”.

“I feel like I have been his understudy for a few years now on a lot of tours,” Marsh said.

“My previous experience on long Test tours is you always get a chance at some stage, so I just wanted to stay ready and become the first man to score a Test hundred on a UK holiday.”

Mitch Marsh brilliant 💯
Came in at a tough time
Pure pulling and driving 👏#Bothamlike#TheBisonIsBack#Ashes2023pic.twitter.com/a1dI3ccM3j

— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) July 6, 2023

Marsh, who scored a century for Western Australia in his most recent first-class match in March, said he never gave up hope of a Test return despite a raft of ankle injuries in 2022 that set him back a few times.

“There’s always times when you spend a bit of time away from the game where you think you might not get back,” he said.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work, I chose to have ankle surgery and miss last summer to get on this tour knowing I was going to be Greeny’s understudy. I’m really proud to get back.”

Mitchell Marsh hits one of his 17 boundaries. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Marsh walked in to bat with Australia in trouble at 4-85 in the opening session before blasting a run-a-ball 118, with 17 fours and four sixes and 113 of his runs coming in the second session.

He said it was an incredibly tough time to come in but work he’d done to overcome “nerves” helped him power to a 155-run partnership with Travis Head to help Australia reach 263, a score that would have been significantly less without his innings.

“Coming in before lunch today was some of the toughest conditions of my Test career,” Marsh said.

“I’m really proud of the work I’ve done mentally to overcome nerves and get into the contest as quickly as I possibly can. I think that comes with a bit of age, a bit of growth, a bit of time away from the game to work on certain things.”