Shaun Marsh..

I think I own him and the selectors a public apology here for doubting him being picked. Althoough you can see my reservations, the guy had terrible FC season for starters. I mean who'd expect him to score a ton? And he did. He does have the goods, and hats off to selectors/Boof for an inspired selection, they get a lot of flak for their crappy job, deserve the credit here.

Seems like he's the one who needs a big stage to perform and doesn't take domestics seriously.

Mature is not often a word associated with Shaun Marsh, long regarded as a batsman of great potential who had seemingly wasted it.

But there is no better way to describe Marsh's unbeaten 122 on day one of the opening Test against South Africa, an innings that lifted Australia to a score of 4-297 and put them in the box seat for a first-up victory.

The visitors were reduced to 4-98 early in the second session after being sent in on a bouncy Centurion pitch.

Marsh and Steve Smith (91 not out) then snatched back the ascendancy with an unbeaten 199-run partnership.

One-and-a-half years after being dropped from a Twenty20 Champions League clash in Centurion because of an alcohol-related discipline breach, Marsh was recalled to the Test side and knuckled down at the same venue.

Smith hoped it was a sign of what is to come from the 30-year-old who fell out of form after making a ton on his Test debut in 2011 in Sri Lanka.

"I think so," Smith replied when asked if the knock could put mercurial Marsh on the path to becoming a consistent player.

"He's been a quality player for a long time. He hasn't played Test cricket for a while and he's gone and worked on his game.

"The way he's come back, against arguably the best bowling attack in the world, and the way he played today was just terrific."

Playing his first Test in more than two years and hobbled by a sore stomach muscle, Marsh was deployed at No.4 in a reshuffled batting order.

Marsh entered the fray at 2-24 after Australia lost both openers in the first hour of play, while first-drop debutant Alex Doolan (27) and Michael Clarke (23) were dismissed either side of lunch.

Known for his T20 prowess, which fetched $A391,000 in the Indian Premier League auction, Marsh put on a Test cricket clinic.

Good balls were left, while boundaries were generally dispatched not with brutal force but exquisite timing - none more so than a straight drive from Marsh to a docile Dale Steyn delivery in the 60th over.

"He waited beautifully," Smith said. "He showed great maturity."

Twas a Fuke ....

Afer 98- 4 , with Clarke gone , Graham Smith was clueless.

Peterson and Duminy are not Spin Twin caliber like say , Jadeja and Ashwin / Sunil and Shilly et al !

Marsh's IPL reputation was clearly on show against them.

Look for a correction in the next Test !

Di I man write that ?  jeeezzzz...How may runs he chalk up in 2nd Test ? 

9.3
Parnell to Marsh, OUT, Parnell is on fire. And he is behaving as if he has been doing this all his life. Cool. Chillin' like a villain.  ::LOL::

Marsh is gone. Full, swinging away, just outside off, Marsh plays with a slightly open face, gets the edge.

SE Marsh c †de Villiers b Parnell  DUCK

Jesus Christ Ketch.
It's one test, and you didn't even wait till the second innings to complain? What is this?
Although I won't be surprised if he doesn't score a single 50 anymore in this series, could we still bloody cut the guy some slack and let him play out the series? FFS.

Duck again

Okay Kyle , here we go ...BTW , where is DownUnda ...Hiding ?  hahaha 

43.6
Philander to Marsh, OUT, Marsh has bagged a pair.

Who would have thought he scored a sensational hundred last match?

Excellent ball given Marsh's state of mind after the first-innings duck, because he is playing too square. 
   
Marsh lbw b Philander Anodda DUCK