Marsh’s dream return leaves third Ashes Test in balance
Mitch Marsh has celebrated his Test return with a thunderous century at Headingley, before taking a late wicket to leave the third Ashes match in the balance after day one.
Called in for his first Test since the 2019 Ashes after Cameron Green pulled up sore from Lord’s, Marsh hit a-run-a-ball 118 in Australia’s 263 before England were 3-68 at stumps.
Pat Cummins also took two early wickets for Australia, where all 13 wickets fell to quicks and England’s Mark Wood took 5-34 while bowling at speeds of up to 155km/h.
Sent in to bat, Australia were in early trouble at 4-85 in their innings before Marsh made a statement with his 102-ball century.
The West Australian set the tone when he cover-drove Stuart Broad (2-58) to get off the mark and later pulled Wood for six.
Marsh hit 21 boundaries in his knock, driving with incredible power, pulling three sixes high over the legside and belting another one down the ground.
Such was the 31-year-old’s strike power, the usually free-flowing Head was made to look slow look incredibly slow with his 39 from 74 balls.
Marsh went to 99 by whacking Moeen Ali back down the ground for six, and scurried through for a quick single off the next ball to go to reach his third Test century.
“There are always times when you spend a lot of time away from the game where you think that you might not get back to Test level,” Marsh said.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work.
“I chose to have ankle surgery and miss last summer to get on this tour, knowing that I was going to be Greeny’s understudy. Really proud to be able to get back in this team.
“I feel a part of the squad even though I haven’t played a lot of Test cricket over the last couple of years. I feel very much part of it.
“It’s a credit to the
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