The ongoing second Test match between Australia and Pakistan is perfectly poised for a thrilling Day 4. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh saved the day for the hosts on Day 3, and in doing so, became the second person from his family to be dismissed on Nervous 90s in a Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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For the unversed, former Australia batter Shaun Marsh, Mitchell’s elder brother, had also missed out on a century against India at the same ground nine years ago.
Despite a 54-run first innings lead, Australia were on the verge of losing the match after the visitors reduced them to 16/4 in the second session today. Having said that, Mitchell Marsh dominating in a 153-run sixth-wicket partnership not only bailed his team out of trouble but perhaps also put it in a winning position.
With co-vice-captain Steven Smith (50) batting at a strike rate of 28.40, Marsh scoring 96 (130) with the help of 13 fours at 73.84 snatched a large part of the advantage gained by the opposition after the lunch break.
With Marsh creating maximum impact as an international batter in 2023, it was quite fitting for him to bring the year to an end with such a performance. However, having missed out on a century in the first Perth Test as well, the 32-year old player joined the likes of Chris Rogers (2015) and David Warner (2021) among Australian batters with consecutive dismissals in the nervous 90s.
Shaun Marsh Was Also A Victim Of Nervous 90s At The MCG
While Mitch missed out on a well-deserved fourth Test hundred by four runs, Shaun had an even worse fate reserved for him in 2014. What would’ve been his third instance of crossing the 100-run mark in the format, the left-handed had missed out by a single run.
Much like the latest case, even Shaun was batting in the second innings after the home team had gained a 65-run lead in the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014/15 Test match. Coming in to bat at No. 5, Shaun scoring 99 (215) had played a titular role in Australia putting forward an unachievable 384-run target. In the process, Marsh’s desperate desire to sneak a run against then-India vice-captain Virat Kohli had led to a doomed dismissal.
It is worth mentioning that Marshes appear to be cursed with regard to missing out on tons in Melbourne Tests. For those who don’t know, the hapless trend was initiated by Shaun and Mitchell’s father, Geoff Marsh. Even though Geoff couldn’t complete his fifth Test hundred back in the day, he wasn’t dismissed in nervous 90s unlike his sons.
It all happened during the second Test of India’s tour of Australia 1991/92 when Geoff had scored 86 (267) before being dismissed by the legendary Kapil Dev in the first innings.
