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Watson axed for Marsh: reports

Australia set to make a second major change to their XI with under-fire allrounder Shane Watson set to be replaced by Mitchell Marsh

Australian allrounder Shane Watson has reportedly been dropped for the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

Watson will be replaced by rising Western Australia star Mitchell Marsh as Australia try to recover from their crushing 169-run first Test defeat in Cardiff, according to a report in Fairfax Media.

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Watson and Marsh train at Lord's // Getty Images

If the reports prove correct it would be the second key change for the Australia team for the second Ashes Test at Lord's, following confirmation that wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will miss the match for family reasons.

The official Australian XI will not be announced until the toss of the coin at Lord’s on Thursday.

Quick Single: Haddin withdraws from Lord's Test

If Watson is dropped it would mark the second time the allrounder has been left out of the side midway through a major series in the past four months. 

Watson was dumped for a match midway through Australia's World Cup campaign, only to be reinstated for the next match and retain his place in the host nation's winning run to the trophy.

This latest omission would cast a doubt on the 34-year-old's career after his performance in the first Ashes Test in Cardiff where he was dismissed for 30 and 19, falling lbw in both innings to balls angling towards leg stump.

Video: Watson falls lbw in Australia's second dig at Cardiff

"This is a big decision. My gut feeling is they'll probably go with Mitchell Marsh," former Australia captain Steve Waugh told Sky Sports, prior to news of Watson's omission breaking.

"A guy at that age... when he's played a long time, when you make a decision like this now - it's pretty much final.

"There's probably no way back from being dropped now."

Watson was far from the only Australian to put in a below par performance in the Cardiff opener with only openers Chris Rogers (95) and David Warner (52) and bowler Mitchell Johnson (77) able to pass 50.

Marsh's possible inclusion comes in the wake of two centuries in the warm-up matches on the Qantas Tour of the British Isles, against Kent and Essex.

Marsh made his debut in Australia's 2-0 series loss to Pakistan in the UAE last October and played a further two Tests against India before breaking down in Brisbane.

Video: Marsh blasts century at Essex 

He is now expected to add to those four Test caps with a berth at the Home of Cricket where he will be required to contend with the steep Lord's slope as a bowler.

Australia's Bupa Support Team head coach Darren Lehmann said in the wake of the Cardiff defeat the allrounder berth would be "a tight call".

"Again it's going to be a tight call heading into the second Test. We'll wait until we get to London and have a look at how everyone pulls up," Lehmann said.

"We're not going to panic."

England seamer Stuart Broad recently suggested he'd be shocked if national selectors lost patience with Watson.

"I'm sure he'll play (at Lord's). I don't have any doubts," Broad said.

"Shane Watson has given us a lot of trouble in the past."

Watson, speaking in the lead-up to the first Test, noted he was "well past worrying about where things are at" regarding his place in the XI.

"Being in and around these situations before, I know you can't worry about things too much," Watson said.

"All that matters for me was being able to spend some quality time in the middle."

Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, completed a lengthy training run at Lord's on Tuesday and is expected to take his spot in the starting XI provided he shows no ill effects from the ankle injury he battled in the first Test.

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