Stoneman's helmet smashed by Hazlewood bouncer

Mitchell Marsh’s return to the Australia Test team has got off to a nightmare start, dropping an absolute sitter at first slip just after lunch.

Not only did he replace Peter Handscomb in the batting lineup but took his spot in the slips as well.

Handscomb has one of the safest pairs of hands in the Australia team and they were sorely missed as Josh Hazlewood found the outside edge of Mark Stoneman.

The ball went straight to Marsh, at chest height and should have been gobbled up but he dropped it cold.

Stoneman was on 52 at the time.

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No doubt Marsh felt horrible after the drop, wanting so hard to repay the faith in selectors who brought him back into the team, one of the more controversial selections in recent times.

Hazlewood then responded, the next ball striking Stoneman with a terrifying bouncer.

It hit the English batsman square in the side of the head, smashing part of his helmet loose.

The Aussies rushed in to make sure he was ok, as did his skipper at the other end Joe Root.

He was obviously shaken up because again, the very next ball, Hazelwood dug another in short which he copped on the top of the bat, jumping out of the way, ballooning the ball to gully.

It fell agonisingly short of Nathan Lyon charging in to take the catch.

Three balls in a row, Hazlewood to Stoneman, for two dropped catches and a struck helmet.

It’s all happening at the WACA.