*Official* India Tour of Australia 2018/19

[91Jmay]

I hate how Smarsh gets unfairly lumped in with his brother when it comes to the latest trend of criticising the "Marsh brothers". He may not deserve his spot right now but he has deserved it multiple times over the course of his career unlike Mitch.

Yeah Smarsh is not a world beater but he has played some fantastic innings. MMarsh has basically a couple of good performances with bat/ball across his entire Test career.

 

[Prince EWS]

I hate how Smarsh gets unfairly lumped in with his brother when it comes to the latest trend of criticising the "Marsh brothers". He may not deserve his spot right now but he has deserved it multiple times over the course of his career unlike Mitch.

Yeah the Marsh brothers thing started as a funny meme and sometimes people still make funny posts about it, but throughout the last away season it's evolved from a meme into something people think they can make a serious analysis out of, as if they're not only really similar players (they're not), but as if one failing somehow makes the position of the other less tenable just because they're related (joke opinion). Combined stats for two different players always for serious purposes always get an eye-roll for me.

This idea that Shaun is some sort of home track bully gets my goat too. He's had some really bad ruts where he looks stoned when he goes out to bat and gets out for single figures repeatedly for a whole series, which sucks, but the worst of these was at home ffs. As far as home/away splits in this broad era of Australian batsmen go, Shaun Marsh is actually one who if anything you'd take a punt on away from home but could find someone more consistent to plunder runs at home instead of. It hasn't worked out that way this season, and he might have declined and not be worth a place anymore (especially when Smith and Warner are back) given he's over 35 now, but this was not the story of his career. He's a totally different case to his brother and mentions of "Marsh brothers" that aren't jokes (the jokes are often funny) absolutely strike me as typical casual fan analysis. Rather than casual fans ascending to CW standards on this topic, I actually think CW is down in the gutter with them given the simplifications and false conflations of them that seem to be in vogue.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah, Smarsh's worst series by far came at home against a terrible India attack on pitches that resembled highways. And some of his better knocks have been away from home against quality attacks, like the ton in SA in 2014.

 

[Burgey]

I dunno, his last away series against Pakistan wasn’t stellar.

 

[Starfighter]

#ShaunMarshFacts

Last two years' Sheffield Shield average Home: 48.6 Away: 28.8

#hometrackbully

 

[TheJediBrah]

I hate how Smarsh gets unfairly lumped in with his brother when it comes to the latest trend of criticising the "Marsh brothers". He may not deserve his spot right now but he has deserved it multiple times over the course of his career unlike Mitch.

I hate how now we're doing the opposite. The "Marsh brothers suck" meme is more pertinent now than ever before. Since the Ashes they have both been terrible in Tests for Aus. They absolutely deserve to be lumped together the way they often are. Maybe in the past it's been a bit unfair on Shaun but complaining about it now is strange.

 

[morgieb]

I hate how Smarsh gets unfairly lumped in with his brother when it comes to the latest trend of criticising the "Marsh brothers". He may not deserve his spot right now but he has deserved it multiple times over the course of his career unlike Mitch.

Yeah most of Mitch's genuine contributions were either pretty minor or on roads. Not true re: Shaun.

A better side wouldn't pick him but do Australia really have six batsmen better as things stand? Probably not.

 

[morgieb]

I hate how now we're doing the opposite. The "Marsh brothers suck" meme is more pertinent now than ever before. Since the Ashes they have both been terrible in Tests for Aus. They absolutely deserve to be lumped together the way they often are. Maybe in the past it's been a bit unfair on Shaun but complaining about it now is strange.

We're complaining about it because most of Australian CW have cottoned onto ****** Facebook memes over the past six months as our performances have declined. Plus it treats them as the same player when they're really not.

 

[stephen]

Frustratingly both are putting up decent numbers in the shield, which means that they'll almost certainly get picked for the home series now.

I don't actually mind this too much as I think both players have a lot to offer and of they're out playing the other candidates at state level them they deserve their place despite having an awful UAE tour.

Shaun Marsh May have declined but two tests in the UAE isn't enough to say really.

Mitch Marsh May have gotten better with the bat but may not have. If he gets picked in the coming India series I can see him performing well given the home flat tracks and Indian fast bowling to dine upon.

 

[vcs]

I remember Marcus North copping a load of stick around 2010, for basically not being good enough.

I just checked his career stats, and they are basically identical to what Shaun Marsh is putting up. The only difference is, I think the Aussie fans have got a lot more used to mediocrity.

 

[morgieb]

I remember Marcus North copping a load of stick around 2010, for basically not being good enough.

I just checked his career stats, and they are basically identical to what Shaun Marsh is putting up. The only difference is, I think the Aussie fans have got a lot more used to mediocrity.

You joke but it's not entirely an unfair point. Though I think he looked worse when you consider that Ponting was in decline at the time and Hussey was in a slump. Had all three of them two and Clarke been in good touch throughout his career North's inconsistency/being a step down from our 90's/2000's standard of middle order bats would not have looked anywhere near as bad.

 

[vcs]

Yeah I think it's a good comparison. Both sporadically played some good knocks, but were pretty inconsistent. Yuvraj for us was similar in Tests.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Bumrah will be tough to negotiate for M Marsh with the ball seaming back into him consistently

 

[Burgey]

You could put a bell in the ball and it would be hard for MMarsh to negotiate, but what you say is true.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah most of Mitch's genuine contributions were either pretty minor or on roads. Not true re: Shaun.

It is absolutely true re: Shaun over the last couple of years

We're complaining about it because most of Australian CW have cottoned onto ****** Facebook memes over the past six months as our performances have declined. Plus it treats them as the same player when they're really not.

Would have been fair to complain about it a few years ago. Now it's just true, regardless of it being a Facebook meme.

 

[howardj]

Yeah the Marsh brothers thing started as a funny meme and sometimes people still make funny posts about it, but throughout the last away season it's evolved from a meme into something people think they can make a serious analysis out of, as if they're not only really similar players (they're not), but as if one failing somehow makes the position of the other less tenable just because they're related (joke opinion). Combined stats for two different players always for serious purposes always get an eye-roll for me.

This idea that Shaun is some sort of home track bully gets my goat too. He's had some really bad ruts where he looks stoned when he goes out to bat and gets out for single figures repeatedly for a whole series, which sucks, but the worst of these was at home ffs. As far as home/away splits in this broad era of Australian batsmen go, Shaun Marsh is actually one who if anything you'd take a punt on away from home but could find someone more consistent to plunder runs at home instead of. It hasn't worked out that way this season, and he might have declined and not be worth a place anymore (especially when Smith and Warner are back) given he's over 35 now, but this was not the story of his career. He's a totally different case to his brother and mentions of "Marsh brothers" that aren't jokes (the jokes are often funny) absolutely strike me as typical casual fan analysis. Rather than casual fans ascending to CW standards on this topic, I actually think CW is down in the gutter with them given the simplifications and false conflations of them that seem to be in vogue.

He may slightly be less worse than his brother, but they are "lumped together" for obvious reasons - they both, because of their father, have been given more of a run at it than any other player would be who had their statistics

For you to make a distinction, because one is slightly less worse, is I think a bit clever

Shaun is a 35 year-old who is older than his average

He averages 23 in Test cricket this year

25 of his 59 dismissals in Tests – more than 42 per cent - have been single-figure scores

The lowering of standards that has gone on in the upper echelons of the industry - necessary to justify people like him continually being picked - is part of the reason why Australian cricket is in the doldrums and ranked where we are

 

[TheJediBrah]

they both, because of their father, have been given more of a run at it than any other player would be who had their statistics

This is the point that a lot of you seem to be overlooking. It's one of the biggest factors in the public reaction to the Marshes (and why they are lumped together), because it's clear favouritism.

"He's not that bad, do we really have better players available, etc."

The fact is that over the last 2 years Shaun has been "that bad", particularly away from home, and there are plenty of other players who are given next to no opportunity who definitely could, potentially, be better performed, especially overseas. Ferguson gets one Test on a green top, gets run out, and is gone forever? Maxwell makes runs overseas in Asia and doesn't even get 1 home test while Smarsh gets picked over and over?

You can twist it in your minds however you want, but both Marshes have clearly been given a ridiculous number of opportunities for Australia relative to other prospective players.

 

[Starfighter]

And you can add the mental gymnastics and the fact that they don't even try hide it, like Langer's 'lineage' comment or the fact that despite 'runs and tons' being emphasised at the start of every shield season Shaun was once recalled because he was 'in a good space', when he was averaging 30-odd that season.

Langer's at it again: https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...e/news-story/d4ba876a9a301ea2ca7e64979a6ee739

Choice comment:

They’re both very talented players and very good young men so let’s just hope they continue their good form and we see a lot more of them

 

[howardj]

This is the point that a lot of you seem to be overlooking. It's one of the biggest factors in the public reaction to the Marshes (and why they are lumped together), because it's clear favouritism.

"He's not that bad, do we really have better players available, etc."

The fact is that over the last 2 years Shaun has been "that bad", particularly away from home, and there are plenty of other players who are given next to no opportunity who definitely could, potentially, be better performed, especially overseas. Ferguson gets one Test on a green top, gets run out, and is gone forever? Maxwell makes runs overseas in Asia and doesn't even get 1 home test while Smarsh gets picked over and over?

You can twist it in your minds however you want, but both Marshes have clearly been given a ridiculous number of opportunities for Australia relative to other prospective players.

Amen, Sir.

It's like Under 12's where Dad is the coach, and his kid opens the bowling and bats at three irrespective....it's absolute amateur hour

It is outrageous at the lowest levels of sport, but it's gobsmacking that it's playing out at the very highest level

We have champions of the game such as Shane Warne, who set the highest of standards when they played, falling over themselves to twist and contort SMarsh's stats to justify the continued inclusion of this very mediocre 35 year old who is older than his average

If you as an Australian supporter are not embarrassed/disgusted by this woeful, naked case of nepotism... haha

If this is the sort of favoritism shown to sons whose Dad himself had a very ordinary Test average, imagine the number of chances Waugh, McGrath, and Ponting's sons will get hehehe

 

[howardj]

And you can add the mental gymnastics and the fact that they don't even try hide it, like Langer's 'lineage' comment or the fact that despite 'runs and tons' being emphasised at the start of every shield season Shaun was once recalled because he was 'in a good space', when he was averaging 30-odd that season.

Langer's at it again: https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...e/news-story/d4ba876a9a301ea2ca7e64979a6ee739

Choice comment:

That's the laughable thing with Langer.

At media conferences / interviews, he has SMarsh's latest contorted/twisted sets of stats/reasons why he should be included....ready to go right off the top of his head

He cites exact scores, averages over the last selected bit...whatever precise portion of stats, as though he's studied up on it and is there as his defence lawyer