Six beers deep: Marsh’s Ashes plan isn’t about openingScott BaileyAAPMon, 20 October 2025 11:57AM
Mitch Marsh expects to be “six beers deep” by lunch on day one of the Ashes, insistent he has given no thought to an unlikely call up for Australia.
Marsh was thrown into the spotlight on Sunday night when former England captain Michael Vaughan claimed the West Australian should open in the first Test.
In theory Vaughan’s call has some basis to it, even if Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Weatherald or Matt Renshaw appear far more likely.
Marsh is a man in form. His hard-hitting 46 not out in Australia’s ODI win over India on Sunday comes after an unbeaten century against New Zealand earlier this month.
The 34-year-old would also fit the mould in the type of opener Australia’s selectors prefer next to Usman Khawaja.
It is no secret that Khawaja is at his best when batting alongside a faster scorer, as evidenced by his long period of success opening with David Warner.
Marsh went at a strike rate of 67.8 on his Test return in 2023, until his lack of runs ultimately saw him dropped at the end of last year.
But in reality, it appears unlikely Marsh will be the man to partner Khawaja in Perth on November 21.
The allrounder hasn’t played a red-ball match since last December, and won’t feature in the Sheffield Shield again until after the squad is named for the first Test.
When first asked after his century in New Zealand last month if his mind was at all on earning an Ashes recall, Marsh simply responded: “No”.
Then put to him in Perth on Saturday that he could still be in the selection frame, Marsh said his only Ashes thoughts was that he had tickets for the first two days.
And when questioned by former coach Darren Lehamann on ABC Radio on Sunday night if he wanted to be in the team and opening, Marsh again laughed off the suggestion.
“I’ll be six beers deep by lunch on day one,” Marsh quipped.
“But I would never say no about playing Test cricket again.”
It comes after chief selector George Bailey suggested on Saturday that Marsh’s immediate plans likely revolved around captaining next year’s Twenty20 World Cup side.
“I think his focus very much at this stage in his mind is let’s get this squad ready for the T20 World Cup,” Bailey told reporters in Perth.
“There’s two white-ball series. He’s been in personally wonderful one-day and T20 form. So that’s great.
“And then I think at some stage there will be conversations around where he’s at with his red-ball cricket.
“I said a long time ago, I didn’t think that the door was closed for him to play red-ball cricket. I think (coach) Andrew McDonald has backed that up.
“I think the final piece of that puzzle is where Mitch feels about it. That’s probably the most important piece of the puzzle.”
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