Mitchell Marsh

[The Falcon Strike]

Bloke has improved ... wow - I was confidently told in this thread it wasn’t possible

 

[Cold Sober]

Great for us both are making runs but, Mitch NEEDS to start taking wickets. Agar is next in line.

 

[DaRick]

He is not unlike Andrew Flintoff. He starts a bit nervously and Crane could have dismissed him several times, but once he gets going he can clatter the ball to or even over the fence and up the ante very quickly.

I would like to see him rotate the strike a little bit more so he doesn't get bogged down early in his innings against quality bowling. He still relies a lot on boundaries.

One thing he has over Flintoff is his apparent ability to stonewall, which I never really saw Flintoff do.

 

[Total Power]

Only a flat wicket with no movement, i am yet to be convinced, i will wait for the South Africa tour before passing judgement.

 

[Golumless]

I never thought I would see Mitch Marsh score two more test centuries then me.

 

[Wolfs]

Great for us both are making runs but, Mitch NEEDS to start taking wickets. Agar is next in line.

COnsidering he's scored 2 tons at 6 and also scored a very solid 29*, I think he's fine.

 

[Demosthenes]

Great for us both are making runs but, Mitch NEEDS to start taking wickets. Agar is next in line.

What are you smoking? Agar will never bat six, and as long as Marsh is holding his place as a batsman his bowling is gravy.

 

[Forward Press]

Would rather have a Mitch Marsh making a huge amount of runs and taking no wickets in a series, than a Joe Root making a moderate amount of runs and taking one or two wickets in a series.

Two fine innings of attack, and one fine innings of saving a Test. He has booked his seat on the flight to South Africa.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Feels good to be completely vindicated about Mitch Marsh. Would be in our top 5 or so players for this series.

Cummins, Lyon, Smith, Shaun and Mitch - heroes of Ashes Cricket

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Gethelred]

Great for us both are making runs but, Mitch NEEDS to start taking wickets. Agar is next in line.

Sorry, NEEDS?

He's made 2 tons this series batting at 6; he's done his job. The bowlers have been fine; at no point did we look like we needed a wicket from Mitch, including Melbourne where, if you recall, he had 2 dropped catches.

If he bats at 6, his job is primarily that of a batsman. I'd be cool with him bowling 5-10 overs and innings, unless one of the bowlers are injured.

 

[JackOutback]

He does have the ability to do more with the ball once unhindered and actually used. But he will be selected for SA on his batting and rightfully so.

 

[TassieEagle]

Was picked as an all-rounder but his batting is what shone through. All-rounders need to be good enough with the bat OR the ball to justify their place IMO. Marsh did just that.

 

[Pykie]

He does have the ability to do more with the ball once unhindered and actually used. But he will be selected for SA on his batting and rightfully so.

He needs to drop some weight I reckon if he wants to improve his bowing, he's looking way too heavy driving into the crease.


I'm happy to eat humble pie from earlier in this thread, I still don't think he deserved a recall, but he took it with both hands, full credit to him, SA will be a major test, if he continues to improve through that series, we will have a serious number 6 on our hands.

 

[PintSzedSlasher]

Was picked as an all-rounder but his batting is what shone through. All-rounders need to be good enough with the bat OR the ball to justify their place IMO. Marsh did just that.

All rounder batting at no 6 needs to be good enough with the bat foremost.

 

[Pykie]

Only a flat wicket with no movement, i am yet to be convinced, i will wait for the South Africa tour before passing judgement.

Yep, he's a green top bowler, similar to Watto. Dangerous in those conditions.

He's playing county cricket isn't he?

He is going to destroy it there with the ball, he's perfect for it, bowls seam up at 130km's. I reckon if he was English he'd probably average low 20's in CC if he was brought up there.

Most of his wickets have come in England from memory as well, averages under 20 there with the ball.

 

[TassieEagle]

All rounder batting at no 6 needs to be good enough with the bat foremost.

Agreed. All rounding batting 6 needs to be one of the top 6 bats in the country, and all rounder batting 7 or 8 needs to be damn fine bowler.

 

[Scotland]

And just like that his average is 29. Was under 22 before the series. I guess now he's 'LOL #6 averaging 29' and not 'LOL #6 averaging 22'.

Had a couple of runs of poor form against England, South Africa and India and you can't justify picking a guy on potential indefinitely (well, CA can) but it goes to show that averages are pretty irrelevant on small sample sizes. One or two bad series when you've played 20-30 innings kills you. He also played a couple of quickfire innings which go down as scores under 50 when in reality that was more beneficial than hanging around for a session to eek out a 50 from 120 balls.

He could conceivably play 100 tests and average 50 (or only play 2 or 3 more and average 20) but people are too quick to look at averages early on. Bancroft averages 26 and I'm not concerned at all. My concerns are 3 scores in the 20s that weren't converted and a couple of single digit scores. Marsh is no different. He's shown he can bat at test level, now needs to consistently do so. If he can average 40+ for 2018 I'll be happy.

 

[Scotland]

Agreed. All rounding batting 6 needs to be one of the top 6 bats in the country, and all rounder batting 7 or 8 needs to be damn fine bowler.

How many players in the history of test cricket fit this bill? Jacques Kallis and Garfield Sobers. Anyone else? Steve Waugh was a genuine top 6 batsman but averaged about 3 overs a match and 2.5 wickets a year the last decade of his career when he made all his runs.

Ian Botham averaged 33 batting at mostly 6/7. Andrew Flintoff averaged 32 batting at mostly 6/7. Keith Miller averaged 37 batting mostly at 5. Tony Greig averaged 40 batting mostly at 6. Imran Khan batted mostly at 7/8.

People (cough, CA) romanticise Freddie Flintoff in the 2005 Ashes. 400 runs @ 40, 24 wickets @ 27. Phenomenal series, but an outlier in his career. I mean Warne took 40 wickets @ 20, but he didn't take 1,160 wickets in his 145 game career. The reality is if we're picking an all rounder at 6 they are getting a degree of leeway with the bat because they bowl. Peter Handscomb averages 40 at FC level and 47 at test level yet lost his place to a guy averaging (at the time) 31 and 22.

 

[Agent93]

but it goes to show that averages are pretty irrelevant on small sample sizes

Exactly. Do you judge Mike Hussey on his average from '05 - '07 (80 odd, would be second all time), or his career average (50 odd, still great)?

Peter Handscomb averages 40 at FC level and 47 at test level yet lost his place to a guy averaging (at the time) 31 and 22

Likewise do you judge Handscomb's spot in the national side on his career or his recent form?

 

[Scotland]

Exactly. Do you judge Mike Hussey on his average from '05 - '07 (80 odd, would be second all time), or his career average (50 odd, still great)?

His first 5 innings. After then his average dropped below 120 which doesn't reflect his true greatness.

Likewise do you judge Handscomb's spot in the national side on his career or his recent form?

Both. He has been below par his last few tests but not disgraceful. If Marsh (or equivalent) didn't bowl I reckon Handscomb would've played all 5 tests.

 

[Wolfs]

Mitch I wouldn't even call him as an all rounder. Just a batsman who can roll the arm over. He will be in SA for his batting and the bowling is just something extra.

 

[Kram]

Both. He has been below par his last few tests but not disgraceful. If Marsh (or equivalent) didn't bowl I reckon Handscomb would've played all 5 tests.

Handscomb was woeful and serious technical issues. Would have been rubbish if he stayed in the side all series over say Maxwell.

 

[samFFC]

Good on him for really making a stamp this time around. Pitches have been absolute roads and I’m still not sure if he’ll be ready once the ball starts moving a bit (he had big issues last time around) but runs are runs regardless of where you score them and there’s no doubt that mentally he has made a huge improvement.

The South Africa series will be a good proving ground for him. Really hope he will be able to succeed over there, it’d be great to have a seam all rounder at 6 who offers a bit of bowling and you can still count on to average 35+. Showed today he was able to keep his wicket while also upping the tempo. Seems perfect to play a Andrew Symonds like role at number 6.

This is what seems to be missing
Marsh is being roasted for scoring on roads but then also roasted for not taking 4-5 wickets a game when bowling on roads.

His batting will be challenged but he will look much more dangerous in SA with the ball than he has done.

 

[Turboman1994]

Both the marsh boys have excellent batting technique you can tell they are swampies sons. Mitch is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball in world cricket with better footwork and defensive technique it’s not surprising he has made runs.

 

[Scotland]

Mitch I wouldn't even call him as an all rounder. Just a batsman who can roll the arm over. He will be in SA for his batting and the bowling is just something extra.

Has 116 FC wickets @ 30 from 78 matches so is more than handy.

Agree 100% with the last sentence. We need someone at #6 averaging 40-50 with the bat. If they can bowl a bit it's a bonus.

Right now Marsh averages 29 with the bat and 42 with the ball in tests. If that was 42 and 42 we'd be rapt. 29 and 29 not so much.