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Marsh modest about No.3 batting prospects

3 minute read

Mitchell Marsh isn't talking up his chances of holding on to Australia's No.3 spot for the Twenty20 World Cup despite some fine form with the bat.

MITCHELL MARSH
MITCHELL MARSH Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

He's been the shining light in two dismal losses to the West Indies but don't expect Mitchell Marsh to spruik his claims for the No.3 spot In Australia's Twenty20 World Cup team.

Marsh has batted as low as No.7 for his country but was promoted to first drop for Australia's opening two T20 internationals in St Lucia.

He made an instant impact, scoring his first two T20I half-centuries by stroking 51 off 31 balls and then backing up with 54 off 42.

Over the last 10 months, Steve Smith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Wade, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis and Marsh have all batted at No.3 for Australia.

Of that group, Marsh is the only one to have scored a half century.

"I certainly don't want a headline saying that I want the No.3 spot but any time you get an opportunity to bat up top for Australia, it's great," said Marsh, who played his first T20I in 2011.

"I've done it a little bit in the past for (Big Bash League outfit) the Scorchers, so I do enjoy it.

"But ultimately we're 0-2 in this series so far, so it would be nice to bat for little bit longer and get us across the line."

Marsh said he hadn't spoken to coach Justin Langer about the possibility of batting first drop at the World Cup.

"I'm just trying to play my role to the best of my ability for the team and at the moment that's batting at No.3," Marsh said.

"If that opportunity is still there in a couple of months' time (at World Cup) then so be it."

Marsh wasn't worried there was a lack of clarity about the batting order just three months out from the World Cup.

"Right now the squad we have here, we're all really clear on our roles, what we need to do," he said.

"Ultimately, we're just not executing them."

Collapses of 6-19 and 7-39 scuttled any hope of Australia winning the first two games of the five-match series against the West Indies.

He conceded Australia were missing the explosive batting of David Warner and Glenn Maxwell.

"I've got full confidence in this team, that we will be able to turn it around," Marsh said.

"We've got some great players, we've got some really experienced players who have all performed at international level before."

West Indies had the benefit of playing a five-match home series against South Africa over the last month.

"We certainly won't make excuses, but there's no doubt that coming off three months off cricket, it can at times take you a little bit to get going," Marsh said.

"The West Indies have been playing a lot of cricket and they are playing very good cricket at the moment, but we certainly felt ready to go for this series."

He pointed to recent history as proof Australia was capable of fighting back in the current series, which continues on Tuesday.

"I think the thing we lean on is that this Australian team has been 2-0 down in India and won the series, and we were 2-0 down in New Zealand and then we got it back to two-all," Marsh said.

"The Australian team, we love backs against the wall."

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