Mitchell Marsh absolutely dominated on his return to Test cricket, and boy did Australia know it.
The all-rounder, who was rushed back into the side for the first time in four years, bagged a number of records on his way to a swashbuckling 118 with Australia in dire straits at Headingley.
With Cameron Green’s injury, Marsh found himself in the frying pan for the Third Test. With a limited amount of first class cricket under his belt, the 31-year-old was asked to front up and resurrect an innings that was quickly falling apart under England’s pace attack.
Commentators noted his stellar record against England, averaging over 40 with the bat, as he walked out to the crease. But nobody guessed he would stride off the park with a statistic bettering that of David Warner and Adam Gilchrist.
His ton in Leeds was his third against the Poms, putting him ahead of the two greats of the game. And it doesn’t stop there.
Marsh also has the peculiar record of bagging more five-wicket hauls against England than the great Merv Hughes, and also current skipper Pat Cummins.
Cummins knew how much Marsh’s day one masterclass meant for the series and had him lead the team off the field at the close of play.
It was scene out of a storybook and serves as a good lesson for cricketers trying to claw their way back to the national side.
And for a man who has been criticised this week for tarnishing the spirit of the game, Cummins proved once again he’s the captain everyone wants to play for.
“I think I’m the first man to score a Test hundred on a UK holiday,” Marsh joked at the close of play.
As for his critics, Marsh will be sleeping tight in England knowing he silenced the thousands of people who have been on his back for years.
But for all the Australians huddling around the TV last night, it was his brother Shaun who cheered the loudest.
The former Aussie batsman was filmed going absolutely ballistic at a bar with his family.
“You beauty!” he can he heard screaming as he hugs what appears to be his father Geoff, who also played 50 Test for Australia.
The visitors endured a collapse on either side of Marsh’s blistering century, which was led by England pacer Wood’s remarkable figures of 5-34.
Captain Ben Stokes’ decision to put Australia in to bat after winning the toss seemed justified, as their batting order crumbled under the pressure of the fastest pitch seen this series.
Cummins struck an early blow by reducing England to a precarious 22-2 late in the day. Marsh also contributed with the ball, nicking off opener Zak Crawley to Warner, who took a sharp catch at first slip.
By the close of play, England found themselves struggling at 68-3, trailing by a margin of 195 runs.
Joe Root remains unbeaten overnight on 19, while Jonny Bairstow joined him with a solitary run, both hoping to resurrect the innings on day two at their home turf in Yorkshire.
After being plastered across the globe at the centre of the controversy at Lord’s, Bairstow couldn’t help sending a message to the Aussie fielders.
He repeatedly hammed up to the crowd by dramatically placing his bat inside his crease while staring at the Aussies.
England’s missed opportunities, including a straightforward catch put down by Bairstow behind the stumps, plagued them throughout the day. Root dropped a straightforward catch off Chris Woakes when Marsh was sitting on 12 runs. England, already trailing 2-0 in the five-match series, simply couldn’t afford such mistakes.
Day two begins tonight at 8pm (AEST).
