Sydney: Left-hander Shaun Marsh is targeting a Test call-up for Australia’s home Ashes series this year, looking to capitalise on the poor form of Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan and Usman Khawaja.
The 30-year-old has not played a Test since Australia hosted India in the 2011-2012 summer but has been included in the squad for this month’s one-day international and Twenty20 series against England.
He hopes it will prove a springboard back into Test contention for the Ashes against England in Australia from November. “I’m sure there will be opportunities for players in that Test team,” said Marsh, who was in strong form for Australian A recently in South Africa.
“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I feel like I’m in a pretty good head space at the moment with my game and I just have to put the runs on the board now to get that opportunity again.
“I feel like if I do get that opportunity again I feel like I will be a lot more ready to go this time around,” he added.
Marsh has played seven Tests for Australia and scored a century on his debut against Sri Lanka in 2011. But he was dropped following a poor series against India in 2011-12 and has since battled a string of injuries.
His target is the troublesome number three spot in the Test team which Hughes, Cowan and Khawaja have all failed to claim as their own. Khawaja was dropped after the last Test in Durham with Shane Watson, who started the current Ashes series as an opener before moving to number six, set to bat at three in the fifth and final Test starting later on Wednesday at The Oval.
The 30-year-old has not played a Test since Australia hosted India in the 2011-2012 summer but has been included in the squad for this month’s one-day international and Twenty20 series against England.
He hopes it will prove a springboard back into Test contention for the Ashes against England in Australia from November. “I’m sure there will be opportunities for players in that Test team,” said Marsh, who was in strong form for Australian A recently in South Africa.
“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I feel like I’m in a pretty good head space at the moment with my game and I just have to put the runs on the board now to get that opportunity again.
“I feel like if I do get that opportunity again I feel like I will be a lot more ready to go this time around,” he added.
Marsh has played seven Tests for Australia and scored a century on his debut against Sri Lanka in 2011. But he was dropped following a poor series against India in 2011-12 and has since battled a string of injuries.
His target is the troublesome number three spot in the Test team which Hughes, Cowan and Khawaja have all failed to claim as their own. Khawaja was dropped after the last Test in Durham with Shane Watson, who started the current Ashes series as an opener before moving to number six, set to bat at three in the fifth and final Test starting later on Wednesday at The Oval.
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