Mitch Marsh rescues faltering Aussies after collapse

The all-rounder may have felt upset at being dismissed for 96 late on the third day of a gripping Test but applause for his efforts echoed in every cricketing corner of the country.

All-rounder Mitch Marsh finds himself in a rare moment of discomfort during an innings that saved Australia’s bacon following a bowling onslaught from Pakistan. Picture: AFP

Not all heroes wear capes or raise the bat to the crowd, and while Mitch Marsh may have felt upset at being dismissed for 96 late on the third day of a gripping Test, he had, at least, rescued Australia from a perilous situation.

Marsh deserved a hundred. He’d been dismissed for 90 in the first Test and had three generations of his family watching in the stands when Agha Salman pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch to end the critical innings.

His brother Shaun, who was in the crowd, would have had some sympathy given he was run out on 99 at the same venue in the 2014 Test against India.

It is a mark of how hearts and times have changed that Marsh was warmly applauded on reaching his half century. Five years ­before he was booed by Melburnians offended by the very sight of the big West Australian.

The applause for his efforts on the third day, however, were warmer still and echoed in every cricketing corner of the country.

Australia was 6-187 at the close of play, Steve Smith offering an easy chance after reaching his half century to give Shaeen Shah Afridi his third wicket of the innings in the last over of the day.

The home side has a 241-run lead and would hope to push that past 300 to ensure victory.

Marsh might not have got his hundred but his innings saved his side from ignominy and set back further any plans Cam Green has to rejoin the party.

The broad-shouldered all-rounder came to the wicket after David Warner and Travis Head had been dismissed by consecutive deliveries from Mir Hamza (3-27). Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had already fallen victim to Afridi (3-58).

Australia was a perilous 4-16, it’s worse start in these parts in more than a century, and Pakistan was pressing, but Marsh held out the hat-trick delivery and confidently set about rectifying the game situation.

Marsh trudges off the ground after falling short of his century. Picture: Michael Klein

He and his awkward sidekick Steve Smith then set about compiling a 153-run partnership for the fifth wicket that ensured Australia slept more comfortably overnight.

The Australians could not have done it, however, were it not for Abdulla Shafique putting down a straightforward slips catch when Marsh was on 20 and his side still on the shakiest of ground.

Had he held it, the Australians would have been 5-46 and only 100 runs to the advantage, but the ball fell from the Pakistan slipper’s hands, just as it did when he let Warner off the hook in the first ­innings.

Marsh was also lucky to survive an lbw appeal after not offering a shot. On review it was “umpire’s call” and so not overturned but most in the game have little sympathy for batters who use their pads instead of their bats.

Aamer Jamal was visibly upset given he was the bowler when Shafique dropped Marsh earlier.

Marsh said there were “a lot of voices” in his head when he came to bat with four down but he resolved to play with the same positivity he has displayed since being recalled.

“It was a big moment for me personally to think about how I wanted to go about it and be true to myself, I’d said that on record so I had to stay true to myself,” he said.

He said he “shut the door a long time ago” over his relationship with the Australian public but he was enjoying the crowd support.

Marsh has been a revelation since replacing the injured Green in the third Test of the Ashes. He scored a century at Leeds, a critical half century at Manchester and his good form has continued since ­returning home. He made 90 and 63 not out in front of his home crowd in Perth, and 41 in difficult first-­innings conditions in this match. He is travelling at an average of ­almost 68 since the recall and scoring at a strike rate of 73.

It is a mark of his skill and technique that he makes batting look so simple and bowling to him so daunting. While Smith fudged and fiddled at the other end, occasionally middling a ball, Marsh hit it to all parts. His drives, cuts and pulls to the boundaries took the pressure off Smith, who only found the ropes for the first time after his partner had hit nine fours.

Smith squirted it hither and thither, Marsh smashed it. Few hit the ball harder. He intimidates ­opposition attacks and shoulders the burden of the batting, just as he shouldered the burden of rescuing the Australians.

Smith’s ugly-duck half century came from 153 balls and was the slowest of his career but it was critical to the side’s fortunes. Having reached the milestone, he failed to score from the next 23 deliveries before his dismissal.

Earlier, Australia had bowled Pakistan out for 264 to take a 54-run first-innings lead, aided by a clean-hitting 42 by keeper Mohammed Rizwan and a controlled 33 not out from Jamal.

Pat Cummins picked up 5-48, backing up his herculean efforts on the previous day to grab two more wickets and complete his 10th five-wicket haul.

A review of the scoresheets will not tell the story of this series. Pakistan has played some good cricket and suffered from being forced to play the fourth innings in deteriorating conditions in the Perth Test.

It must be, however, endlessly frustrating to be a Pakistan cricket fan and you get some indication of that from the reactions of former greats such as Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis at the side’s ability to sabotage itself.

The good old days were back there for a moment. The Pakistan seamers were causing chaos either side of the lunch break.

In the members’ bar at the MCG there’s a large banner with Sarfraz Nawaz’s bowling figures from the last innings of the 1979 Test at this ground that’s a reminder of when Pakistan could ­really ruffle feathers

In 1979, the Australians were cruising to victory. Thanks to the efforts of Andrew Hilditch and Allan Border, they were 1-100 and a bit chasing 300-odd when Sarfraz took 7-1 on his way to a record nine-wicket haul that is celebrated above the heaving bar.