Marsh hundred rescues Australia

Shaun Marsh marked his Australia recall with a brilliant hundred to twice rescue the team from batting collapses at Hobart. The top order slumped to 4 for 33 then after a 100-run stand between Marsh and Cameron White another four wickets fell for nine, but Marsh found unexpected support from Doug Bollinger. It allowed him to bludgeon a fantastic ton in an Australia record ninth-wicket stand of 88 to lift them to a competitive 230.

Marsh was given a life on 61 when Ajmal Shahzad dropped a return chance and went from 84 to 101 in the space of one Michael Yardy over, the 45th of the innings, with two boundaries through midwicket followed by a six in the same direction to bring up his hundred from 101 balls. However, Marsh wouldn't have managed the feat without Bollinger, who's previous highest ODI score was 3, as he made a priceless 30.

Shahzad finished with 3 for 43, but the pick of England's attack was Chris Tremlett who, like Marsh, didn't make his country's World Cup squad, and ended with 3 for 22 including two wickets in two balls to end the innings. Shahzad gave the visitors a perfect early tonic when he removed the in-form Shane Watson for 5 as the quicks made excellent use of favourable conditions after heavy morning rain, but Australia were let off the hook on two occasions with England short of another main seam option.

The innings was first revived by White, who was struck a painful blow on the glove by Tremlett early on, and Marsh as they negotiated the tough period before cashing in against the reduced threat of England's spinners. Marsh did an excellent impression of the man he has replaced, Mike Hussey, as he latched onto anything loose and showed good footwork.

White is more of a stand-and-deliver batsman and they formed a productive pair which also benefited from the left-right hand combination that made life tougher for the bowlers. The momentum was just switching to Australia with White using his feet to elegantly drive Yardy through the covers, but next ball pushed back a return catch.

That began Australia's second slide of the innings with Steve Smith inside-edging into his stumps from a horrid, flat-footed drive against Shahzad then Nathan Hauritz skied a pull to long leg where Jonathan Trott ran in hold an excellent catch. When Brett Lee missed a straight ball from Yardy the end was coming quickly, but Marsh had other ideas.

He immediately took the batting Powerplay and he tried to keep the strike without turning down valuable runs although it soon became clear Bollinger could provide support. He produced a back-foot drive off Tim Bresnan then repeated the feat off Yardy, who was then launched over midwicket for six by Marsh as he began the final charge.

This was the same England pace attack that played against Australia A here in November when they were classed as the reserve unit to the Test trio, but with James Anderson and Stuart Broad still away from the squad they are currently the main men. Watson managed one powerful drive through mid-off before a half-hearted push saw him drag into the stumps.

Haddin went in similar fashion, this time driving at Shahzad, and it left the out of form Michael Clarke under pressure to steady the innings. It was a situation made for Test-style batting and Clarke battled against the moving ball without ever threatening fluency except for one flick over midwicket off Shahzad.

However, the manner of his dismissal won't have done him any favours when he slapped a wide ball straight cover to leave Australia 3 for 21. David Hussey was then well caught in the gully when he fended at Tremlett. Without his brother to guide a rescue mission Australia someone else to bail them out of trouble and in Marsh they found somebody.

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