North Sound (Antigua), June 20 Mitchell Marsh has declared himself ready to bowl in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2024, providing Australia an additional option ahead of their crucial game against Bangladesh in Antigua. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell believes the captain is on the brink of a major batting breakthrough.
Marsh, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL, has not bowled in recent matches. However, he is now confident in his ability to contribute with the ball. "I'll be available to bowl," Marsh confirmed. "With the line-up that we've got, I don't necessarily see a need for me to bowl, but in this format, it's really important to have options, and we're blessed with plenty of those."
Australia have managed well without Marsh's bowling, thanks in part to Marcus Stoinis's significant contributions and a strategic use of spin against Scotland. Should Australia decide to include Ashton Agar as a second frontline spinner, Marsh's bowling could provide valuable seam options.
"Physically feel good," Marsh said. "It's always nice to have a bit of a break from bowling. Stoin and I often talk about it as allrounders, we love being in the game."
The decision on whether to field three specialist quicks against Bangladesh or maintain their current balance of attack remains under wraps. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium has not offered much assistance for spinners so far, but Australia are prepared for potentially spin-friendly conditions in St Vincent, where they will face Afghanistan.
Marsh and Maxwell have yet to fully fire in this World Cup, with just 63 runs between them in seven innings. However, Maxwell remains confident that a big performance is imminent for both him and Marsh. "For me and Mitch, we got a lot of confidence out of that England game for the role we played," Maxwell told ESPN's Around The Wicket. "Even though it's a small sample size, we still feel like we played our role; we set the innings up for the lower order to then go nuts."
Maxwell highlighted Marsh's impressive form across formats, particularly in Tests, which he believes has boosted Marsh's confidence in T20s. "Mitch has been unbelievable over the last couple of years, since he's come back into all three formats, especially the Test stuff. Watching him go about his work, you always know he's only one or two shots away from basically ruining a game, and we are looking forward to seeing that."
Reflecting on his own form, Maxwell admitted that while he has struggled to find rhythm, he feels on the cusp of returning to his best. "Still feeling really good. I've been hitting the ball pretty well, but it's been really hard to get that rhythm and momentum. You've seen our openers go out there and pump it all over the place; then in the middle order, it's been quite difficult to adjust."
Maxwell praised Stoinis for his consistent performances and expressed confidence in the lower order. "The only one throughout the tournament who has consistently been smashing them is Stoin - he's been outstanding. To have those guys below me gives me a lot of confidence. It's a nice position to be in that I don't feel like I've fully hit my straps. Played pretty well against England, but I know it's not far away."
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