Four years ago, Australian Test all-rounder Mitchell Marsh stared down a camera barrel and admitted “most of Australia hates me”, but three incredible statistics about his game in England prove the vitriol was misplaced. .
After leading Australia to safety with a critical tonne at Headingley in the third Ash Test on Thursday, figures have emerged that put Marsh in highly esteemed company.
The all-rounder nicknamed ‘Bison’ has been maligned by Australian Test cricket fans since his debut against Pakistan in Dubai in 2014.
His batting average plummeted to 26.27 in 2015 and wasn’t much better in 2019, when he averaged 26.63.
Marsh couldn’t lean on his bowling game either. While he had a breakout year in 2015 when he took 20 dismissals, March only claimed another 22 wickets in five years at a costly average of 37.95.
Marsh seized his chance after four years out of the Test team with both hands, lobbing the ball into every quarter to rescue Australia’s innings.
The large Australian contingent applauds Marsh just four years after he admitted that the Australian public “hates me”.
Marsh was also dangerous on the ball, taking a wicket to bring Australia back to the Test match on the first day at Headingley.
Fans were stunned as selectors continued to keep faith with the youngest son of Australian Test cricket legend Geoff Marsh, adding wild calls for nepotism to the all-rounder.
A dejected and deflated Marsh faced the media in 2019 and addressed the fact that the Australians wanted him out of the team for good.
“Most of Australia hates me,” he said.
“Australians are passionate, they love cricket, they want people to do well.
“There’s no doubt I’ve had a lot of chances at Test level and haven’t quite made it, but I hope you’ll respect me for the fact that I keep coming back, I love playing for Australia, I love wearing the baggy green cap.
“I keep trying, I hope to win them one day.”
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Mitch Marsh has as many hundreds of Ashes as David Warner and Adam Gilchrist, and as many five-for-five Ashes as Pat Cummins and Merv Hughes.
—Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) July 6, 2023
I just want to say, Mitch Marsh, you are loved. Lots of people excited to have you back. And anyone who’s seen The Test knows you’re funny too. #ASHES
—Adam Zwar (@adamzwar) July 6, 2023
Then Cameron Green, a compatriot from Western Australia, roared into contention after winning 5-24 on his first-class debut against Tasmania as just 17-years-old.
Since the Covid pandemic, the SUV spot has belonged to the Green.
However, when he suffered a hamstring injury in the second Test of the Ashes, Marsh was given another chance against Old Dart.
It was a moment he seized on with both hands, snapping 118 runs off 118 balls under enormous pressure as Australia were reeling to 4 for 85.
Now, with that century in his charge, Marsh has etched his name into Ashes folklore.
Marsh now has as many Ashes centuries as David Warner and Adam Gilchrist, and as many five-wicket hauls with the Ashes ball as current skipper Pat Cummins and the legendary Merv Hughes.
Marsh and Cummins celebrate a wicket on the first day of the third Test. Both men share an equal number of five wicket hauls in Ashes cricket
Marsh is now on a level with legends of the game like Adam Gilchrist when it comes to tons scored against England.
Green was unfortunate enough to miss out on selection for the third Test after picking up a minor hamstring strain. He has kept Mitchell Marsh off the team for four years.
It means Marsh also has more Test tons against England than his brother Shaun, Dean Jones, Brad Haddin and current teammate Travis Head.
Surprisingly though, Marsh wasn’t supposed to take on Headingley.
Instead, the portly Western Australian had committed to play Major League Cricket in the United States with short-form specialists Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis.
He had not played Test cricket for four years and Green was the man of today, Marsh the man of yesterday.
However, chief selector George Bailey saw what happened when Green went down injured in the Test series against India earlier this year and Marsh was back to full fitness after surgery.
“Not having Greeny for part of the India series highlighted for us the value of having that as a backup. Mitch has performed well in the UK in the past and we think he can add some real value,” Bailey said at the time.
England will resume play today at 3-68 chasing Australia’s total of 263.
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