Marsh sports ‘tremendous concentration’

Michael Hussey on Friday praised Shaun Marsh for his superb application after the duo carried Australia to a 90-run lead on day two of the second Test at the Pallekele International Stadium.

Debutant Marsh – 87 not out overnight – and fellow left-hander Hussey – unbeaten on 76 – added an unbroken 148 runs for the fourth wicket as the visitors closed on 264 for three in reply to Sri Lanka’s 174 all out in their first innings.

The 28-year-old Marsh, replacing Ricky Ponting who has returned home for the birth of his child, faced 211 deliveries, orchestrated 11 boundaries and looked every bit the part of a Test number three. The veteran Hussey, meanwhile, picked up on his fine form in the series opener and took the rookie under his wing at every turn.

For a fine collective effort, the pair have set their side a formidable foundation to rack up a hefty first-innings lead come Saturday.

“I thought he showed tremendous concentration because there were periods when scoring was difficult. They bowled really tight for a while and it was tough. Obviously in your first Test match you’re going to be pretty nervous but he got his feet moving well. He showed good composure to be able to get through a tough early period and even beyond that,” enthused Hussey.

“They still continually bowled well to him and it was difficult to get any momentum going with his innings. He showed great concentration and then you could just see the confidence grow a little bit as the innings wore on.

“I think when he got that leg-spinner – Seekkuge Prasanna – away for a few boundaries in a row you could see him start to believe that he belonged there.”

Just 13 runs stand between Marsh and a first Test century in his maiden innings. While 111 – Nelson – is considered cricket’s unlucky number in other parts of the world, the Aussies view 87 – 13 short of a 100 – as their bogey digits. If he gets to three figures, the talented southpaw will join a long line of Australian batsman to land a ton in their first outing to the crease in the five-day fold.

Marcus North achieved the feat two years ago, while Michael Clarke, Greg Blewett, Mark Waugh and a string of other illustrious names have done so in the past.

“It’s a bad score to be stuck on and Mahela did give him a little wink as he was walking off and said ‘Jeez, you wouldn’t want to be 87 not out overnight’. But it’s not going to bother him I don’t think. I said something like ‘I’d much rather be on 87 than seven overnight’,” added Hussey.

Reduced to 133 for three at lunch after Phil Hughes, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke had all failed to kick on after grinding out good starts, the tourists looked to Marsh and Hussey to get them back on track. The Western Australian team-mates obliged and were aided by Sri Lanka’s peculiar choice to deploy part-time bowlers Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera.

Hussey, who had removed Sangakkara with his occasional seam on day one, expressed relief in not falling to the former captain’s military medium.

“You don’t want it to last for very long. I was pretty happy when he took the new ball. I thought at least it might come on a little more, but he got a little swing as well, so it was a relief when he went off. I didn’t want to get out to Kumar and for him to pay me back,” he concluded.