Arthur admits he mishandled Marsh
January 30, 2012 17:43:50 UK
Australia coach Mickey Arthur has admitted that out-of-form middle order batsman Shaun Marsh was not ready to play Test cricket in the recent Border-Gavaskar series.
Australia's domestic first-class season was put on hold due to the inaugural T20 Big Bash League, which meant that Marsh played just one T20 match before being rushed into the Aussie Test team.
The result was that Marsh failed to perform against India and he has now been axed from the ODI squad for the upcoming Tri-series. His place in the Test squad for the West Indian tour is also in serious jeopardy.
Australia are 1.61 to defeat India in the first T20 match while the tourists are 2.30 to get the win.
Arthur said: "He probably did need some time in the middle. It wasn't ideal for him. He was fantastic in Sri Lanka (last year) and, in the first innings under trying conditions in Cape Town (in November), he was superb and then he got injured.
"The only way he could come back was through us working intensely with him in the nets and then one Big Bash (game for the Scorchers) against the Renegades. We knew what cards were dealt and had plans around that. We hope he goes back to the Shield and scores runs consistently there and puts himself in the frame for the West Indies tour."
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