‘I love batting at No.6’: Marsh rules out top order move

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh said he would do anything to get another West Australian in the Test side – but moving up to the top of the order was a bridge too far.

Imam-ul-Haq of Pakistan avoids a delivery from Mitchell Marsh. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, which is bad news for one Cameron Green unless, perhaps, Marsh is for moving up the order and into the slot David Warner will vacate after the Sydney Test.

The all-rounder said at stumps on Friday that he would do anything to get another West Australian in the side – but moving up to the top of the order was a bridge too far.

“I appreciate there’s talk of it, and eventually we’re going to need a new opener with David leaving, but I’ve worked really hard to get back into the side and for me to look forward to being an opener just doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.

“I love batting at No.6 and I guess in my last four Test matches I’ve found my way and who I am as a Test cricketer, and I’m reluctant to change that.”

The oldest format reasserted itself on the second day of the summer. In contrast to the crash and bash we witnessed during the World Cup and the Ashes, the second day was a slow slog.

Australia lost 5-141 to be all out for 487 soon after lunch, Pakistan’s openers dug in and performed above expectation as they saw off the rest of that session without loss.

The Pakistan attack had sent down 114 overs, the Australians had moved at a run rate of 4.29.

Earlier, every camera in Perth had its cameras aimed at the family Marsh in the Justin Langer Stand and had scrambled well-coiffured reporters to grab an interview as the all-rounder closed in on a century against an underpowered Pakistan attack, but the moment never arrived.

Marsh resumed on 90 after lunch, but did not survive the first postprandial delivery, Khurram Shahzad ducking one into the top of middle stump and sending the hometown hero on his way.

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh is bowled by Pakistan's Khurram Shahzad on the second day of the first Test. Picture: Colin Murty/AFP

It wasn’t quite Shaun Marsh run out at lunch on 99, which happened 10 years ago in the Boxing Day Test against India, but family and a home crowd were robbed of their moment.

You hate to see talent go to waste and the compulsion to get Green back into the side is strong, but it would be a brave move to move Marsh up to open with Usman Khawaja, but it may be less disruptive than asking a reluctant Marnus Labuschagne.

The greatest cricket mind in the country, Ricky Ponting, has counselled strongly against selectors getting funky and moving away from a traditional opening pair, but the thought of a dashing batter of the Marsh persuasion opening the innings is tantalising.

The 32-year-old essentially started his innings against the new ball, bludgeoning it for 15 fours and a single six in a 107-ball innings.

It is hard to compare the first and second new balls, the latter being taken at the back-end of a hot day by bowlers who were not exactly generating heat when they took the first.

Former Australian batters who had to face the likes of Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar must have felt a little peeved they never got a chance against what might be one of the slowest Pakistan attacks to visit these shores in the past half-century.

Ponting insists it would be madness to move away from a traditional structure and shift somebody like Marsh to the top of the order.

“Let’s take Bazball out of the equation. Would we be having the same conversation now if that wasn’t around?” he said on Channel 7.

“I’m a believer in now – we need to pick the best opener for the biggest series coming up.

“Don’t think about someone that’s going to have success against the West Indies in the two Tests coming up.

“Let’s look towards India. Let’s look towards the next Ashes series. Who’s the person that’s going to be most suited to doing a good job through those series?”

Mitchell Marsh plays a shot during day two of the first Test in Perth. Ricky Ponting said it would be madness to shift somebody like Marsh to the top of the order. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Pakistan’s bowlers stuck to their task and Aamer Jamal, playing his first Test match, was rewarded with a haul of 6-111 from 21 overs that showed promise.

We are not far into the summer, but his delivery to remove Alex Carey (34) will be among the best you see.

Jamal angled the ball in at off-stump from around the wicket and nipped it off the seam and into the left-hander’s off stump.

The other bowler on debut, Khurram Shahzad, finished with 2-83 but also showed a bit.

The visitors would have hoped for more from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who at 23 and in just his 28th match is essentially the senior pro.

Bowling Australia out for just under 500 was not great for the visitors but it could have been worse.

The batting line-up is as inexperienced as the bowling. Steve Smith has more centuries (32) than the entire XI put together (28).

There was an expectation the Australian quicks, aided by their extra pace and experience, would tear through the visitors given how difficult it had been in the first day and a half when the ball landed in good areas.

Nathan Lyon of Australia celebrates with teammates the wicket of Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Opener Abdullah Shafique arrives with an average of 50 from his 14 Test matches and is fresh from a double century against Sri Lanka in July.

Former Australian opener Simon Katich likes what he sees.

“He’s a good young player, he’s had a good start to his Test career. What I like about him the most is that he’s aggressive against spin,” he said.

“I saw him in Pakistan last year on that Test tour against Australia and we’ve already seen him today bang Nathan Lyon straight back over his head.

“I think he’s going to be a better player than Babar Azam.”

Imam-ul-Haq, fresh from his recent wedding, dug deep and was 38no from 136 balls batting with nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad, who survived a few testing overs late as substitute for Babar Azam.

Nathan Lyon moved closer to the 500-wicket milestone with the scalp of Shafique (42), nicely caught at leg slip by David Warner, while captain Shan Masood was winkled out, caught behind by Mitch Starc.

Pakistan will resume on 2-132, still 355 runs behind Australia.