Andrew McDonald gives injury, form update on Mitch Marsh, Mitchell Starc ahead of deciding SCG Test

Andrew McDonald has dispelled doubts surrounding Mitch Marsh’s fitness while conceding his form has been below par and is optimistic Mitchell Starc will play in Sydney.

A traditionally flat Sydney wicket will shape Australia’s thinking at the selection table as Aussie coach Andrew McDonald insists that the struggling Mitch Marsh is fit to bowl despite barely being used for three consecutive Tests.

McDonald was meanwhile optimistic that Mitchell Starc would be available to play in the fifth Test despite bowling through pain at the MCG, but was similarly bullish that Jhye Richardson was ready for the rigours of Test cricket if called upon.

The Aussies headed to Sydney on Tuesday riding high after their epic 184-run victory in a Melbourne classic left Pat Cummins’ side on the verge of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a barren decade.

Mitch Marsh’s fitness hasn’t been restricting his bowling according to coach Andrew McDonald. Picture: William WEST / AFP

A draw in the fifth and final Test at the SCG – beginning on Friday – would be enough to secure the trophy, while an Australian win would lock away a spot in June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s.

But despite their stirring fourth Test victory, the Aussies have a couple of selection dilemmas heading to the New Year’s Test.

Reigning Allan Border Medallist Marsh is under fierce public scrutiny having barely fired a shot across four Tests. He is averaging 10.42 with the bat and 46.33 with the ball for the series, bowling just 16 wicketless overs across the last three Tests after sending down 17 sets in Perth.

Marsh entered the second Test under an injury cloud but McDonald was adamant that the West Australian all-rounder was right to bowl and his relatively light use had been a tactical play.

“There’s no concern. And I think people have probably been reading too much into that,” McDonald said.

Andrew McDonald is confident Mitch Starc will be fit to play at the SCG despite injury concerns. Picture: Michael Klein

“We haven’t required him with the ball as often as what we would have thought. He bowled again (on day five). His speeds were up in the high 120s, there are no injury concerns there.

“So I think to sort of head that down that angle is a little bit unfair. We just haven’t required him at certain times for whatever reason. So that’s more a tactical implementation, as opposed to a body.”

McDonald conceded however that Marsh’s output with the bat was suboptimal.

“He’s in a good space. Would he like better performances? There’s no doubt about that,” McDonald said.

“Over four Test matches, he hasn’t been able to deliver at the level he would like and we would like. But yeah, I mean, he’s up and about.”

Starc was clearly labouring over stretches of the 41 overs he bowled at the MCG, with the left-armer receiving attention from team physio Nick Jones while also wincing on several occasions.

McDonald said selectors would wait to see how Starc recovered from the Melbourne Test before making a call on the veteran quick.

“We’ll see how the bodies are. Clearly Starcy’s carrying something of some description. We’ll assess that. But other than that, it looks as though we got through,” McDonald said.

“But short turnaround, recovery is important, and we’ll assess what the team looks like in Sydney based upon the surface, as we always do.

“Anytime you get through the game, it’s always a good indicator that you’re a chance at the next game. It didn’t stop him. Clearly, there was a little bit of discomfort early on in spells, but once he got warm, it seemed as though he was pretty free. Ball speeds are good.”

The SCG wicket has earned a reputation as the nation’s flattest Test pitch in recent years, which McDonald acknowledged was a consideration.

But while the Melbourne Test stretched deep into day five, relatively low-workload matches in Adelaide and Brisbane will help ensure Australia may not need to massively call upon a fifth bowler in Sydney, according to the coach.

Jhye Richardson with coach Andrew McDonald at the MCG. McDonald says the West Australian will be ready to play Test cricket if called upon at the SCG. Picture: William WEST / AFP

“Across the entirety of the series, it’s been relatively light,” he said.

“So does that mean you need a fifth bowler? I think you still need a fifth bowler. But are you going to put huge demand on the fifth bowler? Potentially not.”

Tasmanian Beau Webster shapes as the like-for-like replacement for Marsh, while Richardson and Sean Abbott are the other quicks in the squad.

Abbott, as something of a bowling all-rounder, is a tempting option to replace Starc given Australia only needs to draw the match to win the series, but injury-prone Richardson is also ready if needed after being released to play in the Big Bash League on New Year’s Eve.

“He’ll (Richardson will) join us on the 1st (of January). He’s had a heavy week with us in the nets,” McDonald said.

“All indications are he’d be capable of bowling 40-plus overs if he was called upon. Sean Abbott’s there as well. SCG is his home ground, so he’ll be serviceable if called upon as well. So it’ll be about assessing our frontline quicks and then making decisions from there.”

Selectors have not yet named a replacement for the injured Josh Inglis, who hurt his calf while sub fielding in Melbourne.