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Marsh moves back into Test frame

Outstanding form and a shift in selectors' thinking has the Warriors veteran well placed for a recall

Shaun Marsh has spent roughly half his life playing first-class cricket so it's fair to say he is seasoned when it comes to the ins and outs of early-season selection hype.

Particularly considering he's spent much of the past decade on the fringes of the national side, forever the man destined for great things in Baggy Green.

But after a winter during which he was overlooked for the Test tour of Bangladesh, failed to earn another Cricket Australia contract, and turned 34, it appeared his name might finally be wiped from the annual selection discussion.

Not so.


Marsh, typically, has responded to suggestions he is past his best with a bucket load of runs.  

In the past seven weeks, including last night's knock of 63 in the first Sheffield Shield round against Tasmania, the Warriors veteran has piled on 678 runs in nine innings at an average of 96.86.

The runs have come in different formats, against varied attacks, from The Oval to the WACA Ground.

More runs for in-form Marsh in Shield opener

He led all comers in the JLT One-Day Cup and has unsurprisingly drawn vocal support for a Test recall from WA coach Justin Langer, as well as state teammate Hilton Cartwright, with whom he may be vying for the No.6 spot in the Test squad.

"I'm just trying to score as many runs as I can for WA and we'll see where it takes me over the next little period," Marsh told cricket.com.au. "If I score runs, you never know."

Marsh played a couple of first-class matches for Yorkshire when Peter Handscomb linked up with the Australians ahead of the Bangladesh tour, and scored 22 in his first match before piling on the runs with 125no and 78 in his final hit-out in England.

He says he benefited from the experience of playing in different, challenging conditions, which clearly had him well placed for a productive home summer.

"Over there you're playing on wickets that do a fair bit," the 23-Test veteran said. "I certainly picked up a few bits and pieces but just batting on wickets were a challenge, they were a little bit slower, and it just made you watch the ball and really knuckle down, and then come back here and try and replicate that.

"It seems to be working OK at the moment."

Marsh carries bat for Warriors

Marsh suffered an untimely broken finger in the first Test of last summer against South Africa, having made an impressive 63 in the first innings.

Owing to an excellent record in Sri Lanka, he was preferred to Usman Khawaja for the India Test series and despite making a pair of half-centuries in the series – including a match-saving knock on the final day in Ranchi – his twin failures in the final Test looked to have cost him a CA contract as well as selection for Bangladesh.

This summer, the Ashes looms large, and with recent comments from head coach Darren Lehmann suggesting the criteria for the No.6 spot has shifted from allrounder to simply picking the best batsman, Marsh has reemerged as a legitimate contender.

"Absolutely, (playing in the Ashes) would be an amazing feeling," he added. "I've obviously experienced it over in England, playing the one Test match, but just being associated in an Ashes series was an amazing feeling and you can just tell how big and how much it means to the players and the fans and everyone involved in it, so yeah, it would be nice."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21