‘Never in my wildest dreams’: Mitch Marsh’s rise to the Australian captaincy
Mitch Marsh was the most criticised, mocked, ridiculed and pilloried cricketer in Australia. Now he’s captain for the T20 World Cup. It’s a crackerjack tale of redemption.
Mitch Marsh goes striding down memory lane. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine things playing out the way they have,” he says. “When I look back to where my career has come from, it’s bigger and better now than anything I dared dream about. I thought I was done and dusted. All I was hoping for was one more crack.”
Marsh was named on Wednesday as Australia’s captain for the T20 World Cup. It’s a squad that will have a crack. I’ve had a bit to do with Marsh lately. And the people around him. This is the impression and message I keep getting. He’s one of the truly great blokes. He cares deeply about Australian cricket, would do anything for his family, mates, teammates, strangers, dogs, pets, children, grannies walking across the street. He spent years as the most criticised, mocked, ridiculed and pilloried player in the nation. An allrounder who was a chronic underperformer with bat and ball. He had little to no public backing. Just all-round calls for his sacking. But the 32-year-old’s dog days are over. He got another crack in all three formats and he’s nailed it.
He’s become adored. Consistent. Dependable. Dynamite. Relatable. The big lug stands at 193cm. His weight varies because, as he said in Australian sport’s speech of the year when he won the Allan Border Medal in January, he doesn’t mind a beer and can get a bit fat. The following morning in Melbourne, he was stopped in the street in Melbourne by blokes wanting to shake his hand. Blokes who don’t mind a beer and can get a bit fat.
“It’s been an immense privilege to play for my country and now an even greater honour to lead the squad to a World Cup,” Marsh said in his crowning moment.
“I’m extremely grateful to have such a good group of people in our players and staff. We’ve had some strong success in recent times and I’m hopeful that will happen in what looks a wide-open tournament. We take a very experienced group to the West Indies and I very much look forward to the challenge and working alongside (Australia coach) Andrew (McDonald), the coaches, players and staff.”
Marsh had a crack at last year’s 50-over World Cup in India. He was instrumental in Australia’s rousing triumph. He had a crack in the Ashes series after a four-year Test absence. He’s entrenched once more in the baggy green. He’s had a crack so often and so successfully in T20, and earned so much respect, that now he has the honour of taking his nation to the Caribbean next month. His rise and fall and rise and rise and rise is cracking redemption story.
Why make him leader?
“Oh, a number of things,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said. “I think he’s just got the natural characteristics of someone who’s very genuine. Good care around others. Performance is obviously a really important one, too, from your captain. You want him leading from the front and Mitch has done that particularly well in T20 cricket over a period of time.
“Every opportunity he’s had in that leadership role … he creates a wonderful dynamic within the group. Gives great support to the players around him. Works well with the coaching staff.”
There was no great shock in the 15-player squad. No Steve Smith, of course, but despite his standing as perhaps the best since Bradman, his T20 mode of hustling and bustling has been eclipsed by blokes who can hit any given ball into any given car park. Not even the 22-year-old Jake Fraser-McGuirk, who’s going berserk in the IPL, batting like a crack of lightning, finding car parks for larks, could get a ticket.
Look at Marsh in his team kit. Proud as punch. He won’t have to look far for razor-sharp advice at the World Cup. Australia’s extraordinarily successful Test and ODI captain, Pat Cummins, is in the squad, taking a step back from the leadership. Marsh and Cummins are the greatest of mates.
“I think they’ve spoken at length about their love for each other and how well they get along,” Bailey said. “I imagine (the way they work together) will probably happen quite naturally. Just leaning on that experience. Who Mitch will utilise when he’s out on the field, I’m not entirely sure, but there’s plenty of experience out there for those heat-of-the-moment decisions.”
Bailey added: “I think the way Mitch has led this team over the past few months, and the way he galvanises the group and gets everyone feeling good about the purpose of what they’re trying to achieve, I think that’s all-encompassing in terms of utilising everyone in the team. But there’s no doubt, just given the time Mitch and Patty spend together, I imagine they’ll be offering advice both ways.”
Australia gets cracking against Oman at Kensington Oval on June 6. There’s much to play for. If Marsh leads his crackerjack mob to victory in the final at the same Barbados venue on June 30, Australia becomes the first nation to simultaneously hold the World Test Championship, World Cup and T20 World Cups. Confirmation of a great era. At the helm? From what I keep hearing and seeing, the greatest of blokes.
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