Watson still a vital player: Marsh

The squeeze is on for places in Australia's one-day XI and Mitchell Marsh is in no doubt Shane Watson remains a crucial part of the side’s push for a fifth Cricket World Cup title.

Australia's selectors will have plenty to ponder in coming weeks as they attempt to fit captain Michael Clarke and star allrounder James Faulkner into the XI for a team that affirmed their status as tournament favourites with a 111-run victory over England in their Cup opener on Saturday night.

Clarke will regain the captain's armband and a place in the middle order when he returns from injury against Bangladesh on Saturday, while Faulkner is making good progress from a side strain and is expected to be declared fit at some point in the group stage.

Both would be considered automatic selections in Australia's best XI, but just who they'll replace in the side will create no shortage of deliberation among the National Selection Panel.

Stand-in captain George Bailey all but conceded on Friday that he will be left out when Clarke returns, but the Tasmanian sent a reminder of his quality with a crucial half-century against England on Saturday.

Bailey has also led the side to two ODI series wins during the Australian season, against South Africa in November and in the recent Carlton Mid Tri Series against India and England.

And Marsh, one of the players most likely to make way for Faulkner, muddied the waters further with a five-wicket haul at the MCG to go with his powerful knock of 23 from 20 balls as Australia chased quick runs late in the innings.

The strong performances from Bailey and Marsh have put the focus on senior allrounder Watson, who edged a lovely Stuart Broad outswinger first ball on Saturday afternoon.

Watson has scored one half-century from eight ODI innings this season, a match-winning 82 against South Africa at the SCG, and has one wicket from eight matches at an average of 200.

But selectors would be reluctant to discard Watson too hastily.

The 33-year-old's ODI record of nine centuries and 31 fifties at an average of over 40 speaks volumes of his quality, while his ability to bowl at any stage of the innings - either seam up early on or with changes of pace in the late overs - means Watson provides a balance to the side that is hard to replace.

And Marsh says there is no question among the playing group of Watson's position in the side.

"I still think Shane's the premier allrounder in our team and he's such a vital cog for us going forward in this World Cup,” Marsh said.

"All of us know how important he is for us.

"To be fair I think most blokes (would have) nicked that ball (from Broad). It was a cracker.

"It's the one ball you don't want when you go in there first ball.

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Watson looks back in anguish

"It's obviously going to be a tough selection for the selectors this week but I think it's a good one.

"All the batters are in form which is great for us.

"This best thing about this squad is that we've got 15 blokes who don't really care what the XI is, we just want to win and build momentum.

"We're all fighting for spots but at the same time we all want to win."

Marsh also dismissed any suggestion that selection would be made easier by players being rested or rotated out of the side during the six-week tournament, especially in the group matches against associate nations Afghanistan and Scotland.

"I certainly don't think there's going to be any rotations," he said.

"I think with a week between games there's certainly not going to be any reason for us to rotate players in and out so the selectors will be picking the best side that they think will win that particular game."

Mitch Marsh's press conference on Sunday