Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh and the importance of timing

MATTHEW Hayden recalls his battle with Michael Slater in the 1993 Ashes while delivering a verdict on the Shane Watson-Mitch Marsh dilemma.

Australian Cricket Team Ashes Portrait Session

I KNOW what it feels like to be on the wrong side of someone else’s good timing.

Ahead of the 1993 Ashes series the selectors had decided to move David Boon from opener to first drop and introduce a new partner for Mark Taylor.

Michael Slater and I were the young up and coming batsmen and were both coming off good Sheffield Shield years.

I played the first three warm-up games on tour and made scores of 151, 122 and 96. Slats played in the fourth and made 122. Then we played the one-day series — where I shared opening duties with Tubby — and I didn’t make a score in all three games.

There were two more tour games before the first Test and Slats and I were playing off for one spot. Neither of us did much in the first game against Surrey so it came down to a playoff at Leicester. I made two, Slats made 91 and he got the nod to debut in the first Test. He made a century in the second Test and I had to wait until the following year for my debut.

Timing really is everything and appears to be on the side of Mitch Marsh, who has scored back to back hundreds as the first Test approaches.

He seems like an irresistible pick as Australia’s number one all-rounder but you know my position on Shane Watson. I thought it was imperative he played in the World Cup and I think he proved to people that he wasn’t done and dusted in that tournament.

But is Mitch Marsh doing more — and does he want it more? That’s the dilemma facing the selectors. Do you take a punt on someone young or do you go in the Watto direction like you did in the World Cup?

I’d be leaning towards Watto. I think it’s that kind of series. You get opened up in England and you need to have a bit of experience to be able to deal with everything that goes on there.

or experience?

Youth ...

Now that Ryan Harris — who would have been the first fast bowler picked in any normal scenario — appears to have been ruled out, the only other position which is up for discussion is the opening batsmen slot next to David Warner.

Like his brother Mitch, Shaun Marsh has been in the runs of late but for the first Test I’d be playing Chris Rogers. He’s doing just enough and I’d want to leave the side as unchanged as possible.

I’ll be shocked if we don’t win the series.

Even without Harris the fast bowling stocks are still a real strength and we’ve got the edge in the spin department as well. Our only potential Achilles heel is our batting. I think we’ll win the series but there will be a number of times when we’re under pressure with the bat.