Skipper's big Marsh call ahead of extended Scorchers run

Mitch Marsh has been tipped for a huge Big Bash return with the Australian star set to form one half of a destructive opening pairing for Perth Scorchers alongside Finn Allen in KFC BBL|15.

Marsh, who has played just one game for the Scorchers in the past three seasons due to injury and international commitments, announced late last night he would retire from Sheffield Shield cricket at the end of the summer.

The 34-year-old left the door ajar to playing Test cricket again in the unlikely event he's called on by selectors.

But Marsh is set to feature for the Scorchers in the BBL|15 season opener against Sydney Sixers at Optus Stadium on Sunday and is poised for a full Big Bash campaign with Perth after losing his Test spot towards the end of last summer.

"Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the Scorchers. WA cricket has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future," said Marsh in a statement confirming the end of his 16-year red-ball career with his state.

Marsh plundered 347 runs at 58 in his most recent run with the Scorchers during their triumphant BBL|11 season, which included his first T20 century, an unbeaten 100 from 60 balls against Hobart Hurricanes.

And Perth skipper Ashton Turner has tipped Marsh to have a similar impact in BBL|15, revealing the Aussie T20 captain will team up with Kiwi import Allen at the top of the order.

Marsh has been in destructive form against the white ball since the start of the home summer, slamming a one-day century against South Africa in August followed by his maiden T20 international century during October's tour of New Zealand.

That first T20I century – an incredible 52-ball solo act to get Australia over the line in the series decider – made him just the sixth Australian to score centuries in all three international formats.

"We know how good a player he is," Turner said a week out from the first ball of BBL|15.

"In this twilight of his career he's playing some of the best cricket he's played, particularly in white-ball cricket.

"I don't think anyone would be surprised if he's player of the tournament.

"The value he can add at the top of our batting order; there's not many people that possess the power that he does.

"It's a pretty tantalising proposition with Finn Allen walking out to bat with him as well.

"There's been a reason we've assembled the squad that we have (and) we're going to have a lot of firepower in our batting – that's the way the modern game is going and it's probably a change from the recipe that's been really successful for us in years gone by.

"We're going to have a pretty positive approach to our batting this season and that's going to be led by Mitch and Finn at the top."

Marsh has only ever opened once for the Scorchers, scoring 15 against Melbourne Stars back in BBL|03, but has taken on the role full-time for the national side recently alongside Travis Head in the build up to next year's T20 World Cup.

It will be one of several changes for the five-time champions in BBL|15 as the league's most successful club pivots to their next generation after missing the finals last season, moving on veteran quicks Jason Behrendorff and Andrew Tye who have taken more than 300 BBL wickets between them.

"I think we've got the personnel to win this competition," Turner said.

"There's been change but as is always the case in elite sport there is going to be change and other sides are evolving and that's our challenge as well to continue to evolve with the times.

"There's going to be a few new faces but there's also a lot of continuity in the squad that we've put together.

"We may have guys coming and going for international duties but we're really confident in the squad that we've got assembled.

"We feel like we've got all bases covered. There's some quality cricketers and there's also some really exciting cricketers who are no doubt going to put on a show for our fans.

"Those with their finger on the pulse know that Marli Beardman's going to be a really exciting proposition.

"We've seen Cooper Connolly for a couple of years now, but these guys, you forget how young they are and they're still learning, still developing, they're not the finished products as of yet.

"They're the two young guys in our squad who are already match winners but are just going to become better and better with more experience, which they're going to both get this season."