In-form Marsh pushes selection claims

Australia A vice-captain Mitch Marsh sent the national selectors a timely reminder of his all-round abilities on Sunday in Bristol as he pushes his case for Ashes selection.

Marsh put in a dominant performance against Gloucestershire, claiming 3-43 from nine overs and posting an unbeaten 53 from 51 deliveries to drive Australia A to a comfortable five-wicket win with chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns watching on from the pavilion.

The 27-year-old appears to be right on the edge of a national recall having been parachuted into Australia's World Cup squad as cover for Marcus Stoinis after he was named vice-captain in Australia A's one-day and four-day squads ahead of the Ashes.

With Stoinis passing a fitness test on his inured side ahead of Australia's clash with Bangladesh in Nottingham last month, Marsh was released to the A squad, where he's posted totals of 40 not out, 29 not out and 53 not out to earn himself the nicknames 'red ink' and 'Bevo' for his uncanny knack of getting his side across the line with his wicket intact.

Marsh endured a turbulent 2018-19 summer; he started the season as Australia's Test allrounder and vice-captain before a dramatic drop in form and confidence saw him out of the national setup altogether and without a Cricket Australia contract.

But Marsh feels he has turned the corner and his efforts on the pitch at the back-end of the Sheffield Shield season for Western Australia and in England with Australia A would indicate he's on track for an international return.

Could it be as soon as the Ashes? That's one for Hohns and the selection panel.

As it stands, Marsh is putting all his energy into helping Australia A continue their unbeaten run in England, which after Tuesday's game in Bristol switches formats to four-day cricket with the Dukes ball.

On two occasions on Sunday he provided the key breakthrough to snatch his side the momentum, but is often used to do the donkey work in red-ball cricket.

Likewise with his batting, for Australia A this tour he's had to calmly finish off a run chase but is able to launch into attack mode when setting a total or pursing a large target (that said, he did hit five sixes and zero fours in his innings on Sunday).

It's taken time but Marsh says he has learned that as an allrounder he must be the versatile cog in the team machine if he is to help contribute to victories.

"It's a hard one because you're an allrounder, you should get a hundred and five-for every game but it doesn't always pan out like that," Marsh said after play in Bristol.

"For me, I focus on the role that day. At times it's the holding role, other times I get to have a crack at taking a few wickets and breaking partnerships open, other times it's the graveyard shift from overs 70 to 80 and getting guys through to the new ball.

"That's something as an allrounder that I've learnt over a long period of time – my role changes all the time.

"It's about being prepared whatever the team needs.

"I do that to the best of my ability; some days it doesn't come off as an allrounder but the days it does it's sweet."

Australia A tour of the UK

Get live scores and all the latest news from Australia A's tour of the UK on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A beat Northamptonshire by six wickets

June 23: Australia A beat Derbyshire by seven wickets

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, match abandoned

June 30: Australia A beat Gloucestershire by five wickets

July 2: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A v Sussex, Arundel

July 13-16: Australia A v England Lions, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Hampshire