'Cut the cord': Shaun Marsh under fire over fresh failure

Shaun Marsh has survived just nine balls on day two of the second Test against Pakistan as concerns grow over his place in the Australian Test team.

The 35-year-old began Wednesday as the new batsman after nightwatchman Peter Siddle fell on the final ball of day one.

But after facing three balls across the first three overs of the morning, he was undone by Mohammad Abbas in the fourth.

Marsh was beaten before blocking, leaving, blocking and eventually edging to first slip as he pushed his bat way out in front.

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“He gets a lot of low scores and one of the reasons why is because he loves to feel bat on ball,” former selector and Test batsman Mark Waugh said on Fox Sports.

“It was a good bit of bowling by Mohammad Abbas, don’t worry about that, but watching for the ball – he takes a big stride out of the crease and his hands are way out the front of his body.

“His bat’s out there searching for the ball, finds the outside edge, good catch at first slip.

“This is something Shaun Marsh has really got to work on. When he first goes to the crease he likes to hit the ball but he’s got to know where his off stump is but he’s got to play with a lot softer hands.”

Dismissed for three runs, the batman’s successful Ashes series has made way for a sorry run of form.

Marsh reached 40 just once in the ill-fated series against South Africa earlier this year, while he made seven and zero in the first Test against Pakistan.

The veteran might be considered a required player with Steve Smith and David Warner banned from the side but is time running out to prove his current stretch is only a bad patch?

“Once you start getting into your 30s, mid-30s, you can’t afford to have a run like that, because everyone starts talking about your position in the team,” former teammate Mike Hussey said on Wisden radio.

“‘Is that the end of your career?’ – and that extra pressure builds up on you as well.

“In the reality, at the end of the day, you do need to be scoring runs. There’s going to be a lot of discussion about his place in the team.”

Marsh could play up to four Sheffield Shield matches upon his return home from the UAE tour.

Australia will host India and Sri Lanka for six Tests this summer before next year’s World Cup and Ashes series in England.

With precious little time for new coach Justin Langer to make his mark before his first big overseas assignment, a tough decision looms.

While Smith and Warner will be eligible for the Ashes, batsmen waiting in the wings include recent Test representatives Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell.

Cricket fans are ready to see Australia move on:

https://twitter.com/imumair10/status/1052445344691314689

Marsh wasn’t alone in edging Abbas, who removed Usman Khawaja and Siddle yesterday, on Wednesday morning.

Travis Head fell for 13 runs after earning a promotion above Mitch Marsh in the batting order, leaving Australia reeling at 4-56 in reply to Pakistan’s 282.

Pakistan skipper to play on with bruised arm

Sarfraz Ahmed has shrugged off injury concerns and retained the wicketkeeping gloves on day two of the second Test against Australia.

Sarfraz had been in serious doubt to continue in Abu Dhabi after a Mitchell Starc bouncer left him with bruising and swelling on his left elbow.

A serious injury such as a fracture had not been ruled out on Tuesday night with Sarfraz conceding his elbow was too swollen to receive scans.

But Sarfraz donned the gloves when Australia resumed at 2-20 on Wednesday morning in response to Pakistan’s 282.

The Pakistan skipper was dismissed by part-time legspinner Marnus Labuschagne for 94 soon after copping the fearsome bouncer from Starc late on day one.

But he showed tremendous fortitude to don the gloves and snare a brilliant one-handed catch diving to his right to dismiss Usman Khawaja (three) off the bowling of Mohammad Abbas.

Sporting a heavy compression bandage in his post-match press conference, Sarfraz confirmed Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur had spoken to umpire Richard Illingworth about reserve Mohammad Rizwan potentially playing as a substitute wicketkeeper.

Substitute fielders had been prevented from donning the wicketkeeping gloves until an overhaul of the laws of the game last year.

“At the moment, the swelling is too much (for scans),” Sarfraz said.

“I think had it been more forceful then I would not have been able to bat properly after that but I hope that with icing it will get better.”

Sarfraz combined with debutant opener Fakhar Zaman (94) to spearhead a Pakistan counter-attack after Nathan Lyon’s stunning morning spell left the hosts reeling at 5-57.

The skipper admitted he had been surprised by an unusually lively Abu Dhabi pitch and had felt taking the attack to Australia was his only option.

“Obviously when we had 5-57 there was too much pressure,” Sarfraz said.

“It was a tough situation as a captain. We didn’t know what had happened, so it was a tough session to complete.

“Then we planned to attack because it was no use playing dot balls considering the situation of the pitch.”

with AAP