Marsh taking nothing for granted

01 July 2015 06:02

Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will take nothing for granted on Ashes selection despite plundering a second successive century when making an unbeaten 136 against Essex in Chelmsford.

The 23-year-old followed on from where he had left off in Canterbury after coming in at number six to set about the Essex attack.

Marsh brought up his century with a huge shot high over the River Stand boundary, the ball ending up lodged in the roof of Spinners Bar, as Australia ended the day at 440 for six.

Fellow all-rounder Shane Watson also scored a rapid half-century and both will hope to also get a chance to make an impact with the ball, although rain is forecast for Thursday following soaring temperatures.

Perth-born Marsh has seen his brother Shaun follow father Geoff into the Australia Test side, but intends to keep his feet firmly on the ground in the build up to the Ashes opener in Cardiff on July 8.

"It has been a nice start (to the tour), and is great to contribute to this team and hopefully I can continue to do so," he said.

"I am certainly not putting any pressure on myself, at the end of the day it does not matter where you bat or where you bowl, if you take enough wickets and make enough runs, the selectors are going to pick you at some stage.

"I am just enjoying it, it is a privilege to be on this tour.

"I feel like I am improving with my bowling, and hopefully I am getting up there, so I just have to keep working hard.

"There is so much history on this tour and if the opportunity does come, then we will go from there.

"I think I have matured, this is a great team to be around, hopefully I can keep improving.

"To follow in dad's footsteps, hopefully I get the chance to play in an Ashes Test, it is what every kid in Australia dreams about, but we will see."

Skipper Michael Clarke, however, had a day to forget when he was dismissed first delivery from rookie Tom Moore, caught at leg gully.

There was also disappointing news for pace bowler Ryan Harris, however, as he faces an anxious wait to discover whether a knee problem will rule him out of contention for Cardiff.

The 35-year-old from New South Wales struggled with soreness following the first tour match in Kent last week, and was a late withdrawal from the starting XI at the Essex County Ground on Wednesday, replaced by Peter Siddle.

Moore, meanwhile, has only played four career first-class matches, and admitted it was a dream to remove the experienced Clarke, the wicket coming straight after he had sent opener Chris Rogers back to the pavilion.

"It was amazing, we could not have asked for it to go any better," Moore said to the BBC.

"We spoke about it this morning, dreaming big and things like that, and it seemed to work as in my first over I got a double wicket maiden.

"For my first game in front of a crowd like this at Chelmsford, with all my friends and family, to get the Aussie captain, it is a bit of a dream come true."

Source: PA