Marsh on track as Starc brings the heat

Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has recovered well from a side strain that brought a premature end to his Indian Premier League campaign and is nearing full fitness ahead of Australia's Qantas Tour of the West Indies next month.

Marsh bowled off his full run up in the nets at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane on Sunday to dismiss any fears the injury that forced him home from India would hurt his chances for the ODI tri-series in the Caribbean against the Windies and South Africa.

Left-armer Mitchell Starc also charged in off his full run-up, bowling with impressive pace in more positive signs ahead of his first series since the Adelaide Test last November.

And captain Steve Smith, Marsh's teammate at the Rising Pune Supergiants, also eased any concerns about the wrist injury that ended his IPL campaign with a lengthy net session in the warm afternoon conditions.

Marsh played three matches for the Supergiants before was called home three weeks ago after he experienced pain in his left abdominal area.

The 24-year-old said the injury was serious enough to prevent him from bowling at the time, adding the risk of further serious injury was real enough to warrant a return home.

"The thing with a side strain is you can turn a 10-day injury into a 10-week injury just like that," he told cricket.com.au.

"So it was really important that I came home to get it right and prepare to play cricket for Australia.

"It was obviously a minor setback over there. It was disappointing to leave the IPL early. It's such a great tournament these days, probably the biggest T20 tournament behind the Big Bash, so it was disappointing to leave.

"But on a positive note I've had a few weeks at home, a few weeks to prepare ahead of what's going to be an important few months for us."

The injury has given Marsh the rare luxury of some time off after a hectic 12 months that started with last year's Test tour of the West Indies, followed by an away Ashes campaign, the four-month Australian season, tours of New Zealand and South Africa and then almost two months in India for the World T20 and the IPL.

This year was the first time Marsh has played in the IPL since 2013, the allrounder having opted out of the annual tournament in recent years in order to get his body right for the dual challenge of batting and bowling at international level.

Despite having a shorter break than normal over the April and May period, Marsh said he is feeling fresh ahead of the month-long tour of the Caribbean, which will be followed by two months in Sri Lanka.

"I think not going to the IPL over the past few years have given me the chance when we've had that time off to get my body as strong as I can," he said.

"I had to get a lot fitter to be able to put up with the rigours of international cricket and I've seen the rewards of doing that.

"I think sometimes having a break is a blessing in disguise. Our schedule is unbelievably busy.

"But as players, we choose to go to the IPL and that's our holiday time. But that's the choice that we make and I was confident that I could get through the whole IPL, but it was just one of those unfortunate things that injuries do happen.

"I've done everything I can over the past few weeks to get my body right and hopefully I can get through another 12 months."

With the majority of Australia's ODI squad still in India with their IPL franchises, a small group of six players are in Brisbane this weekend for a few days of training before they fly to the West Indies this week.

Marsh, Starc and Smith have been joined by wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade, fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood as well as spinner Nathan Lyon for a lengthy session on Sunday, with most interest surrounding Starc given his long absence following foot and ankle surgery.

Test opener Joe Burns said Starc's pace in the nets has been "scary" in recent weeks and the left-armer didn't hold back in an extended net session on Sunday and looks ready to lead a pace attack that also features Hazlewood, Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Scott Boland and James Faulkner.

Australia's first match of the ODI tri-series is against West Indies in Guyana on June 5.