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WA captain Mitch Marsh hopeful of injury comeback against Indians, but return to bowling crease a while away

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Jordan McArdleThe West Australian
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Mitch Marsh is nearing a return from injury.
Camera IconMitch Marsh is nearing a return from injury. Credit: Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images

Friday looms as D-day for Mitch Marsh, who remains “hopeful” he will feature for Australia ‘A’ against the touring Indians next month.

The WA and Perth Scorchers captain, who is recovering from an ankle syndesmosis injury sustained in the Indian Premier League in September, was selected for the pair of three-day tour matches against India ‘A’ (December 6-8) and India (December 11-13).

But the 29-year-old still needs to prove his fitness before getting the green light to play.

Either way Marsh won’t be bowling until midway through the Scorchers’ Big Bash campaign.

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“I’m hopeful, I’ll probably find out this week whether I’m ruled in or out,” Marsh said.

“I’ll probably know on Friday, I’ve got a few things to tick off rehab-wise and then go from there.

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“I started running last week which was great and I’ve got a few kilos to shed before I start playing.

“It’s been a pretty slow process but speaking to a few AFL players about it, it gets pretty good quickly at the end so hopefully that’s the case in the next couple of weeks.

“At this stage it will just be batting, I wouldn’t imagine I would be bowling until midway through the Big Bash at this point in time.”

Marsh has endured a frustrating couple of months on the sidelines which included 14 days of quarantine after returning from Dubai and watching his WA’s Sheffield Shield campaign in Adelaide on the live stream.

His contact with teammates, who are midway through self-isolation of their own after their Adelaide hub, has been limited to Zoom meetings.

“It’s been quite slow and frustrating to watch cricket again for the summer,” Marsh said.

“Hopefully I’m a couple of weeks away and I’ll be right for the start of the Big Bash.

“I’m really excited to get back, it’s been a long few months and I can’t wait.”

Marsh joked that he would be relegated to No.7 when he turns out for the Scorchers this summer, with the franchise bolstering their batting line-up with the addition of imports Colin Munro and Jason Roy.

Roy is set to open the batting with fellow Englishman Liam Livingstone when they return from international duties in game four, with Munro at first drop.

“I said to ‘V’ (Scorchers coach Adam Voges) ‘I might be batting at seven I think’,” Marsh said.

“We’ve got some great ins for the team and the top of the order and it’s going to be exciting to come in after the boys have got us off to a flyer.”

The Scorchers’ BBL10 campaign gets underway against Shaun Marsh’s Melbourne Renegades in Hobart on December 12.

Their first home game of the season is also against the ‘Gades, on January 3.

Optus Stadium will host five matches in January, four involving the Scorchers and a neutral clash between Hobart and Sydney Thunder on January 7.

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