Cricket
Marsh to replace Brett Lee
2011-10-13 11:05
Sydney - Australian cricketer Mitchell Marsh
was on Thursday named as Brett Lee's replacement for the upcoming one-day
series against South Africa, after the star fast-bowler pulled out with
appendicitis.
Marsh, 19, the younger brother of top-order batsman
Shaun, was selected to take Lee's place in the one-day squad, with
chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch describing him as an upcoming
talent.
"Mitchell is a very exciting young all-rounder who we
consider has the ability to have a significant impact at international
level," Hilditch said.
"He played extremely well during the
recent Australia A tour of Zimbabwe and is a pace bowler who has the
ability to bat in the top six, providing great balance and flexibility
to the squad."
Marsh is already in South Africa as part of Australia's Twenty20 squad and was due to fly home after this week's T20 games.
Lee
was ruled out of the South Africa tour earlier this week with
appendicitis and underwent surgery in Cape Town on Monday night.
Hilditch
said the depth of bowling talent in the one-day squad, including Doug
Bollinger, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Patrick Cummins, meant
selectors "did not consider it necessary to replace Brett with a
specialist fast bowler."
Marsh captained Australia's under-19s in
their 2010 victory at the cricket world cup in New Zealand, and the
current tour of South Africa was his first first-class international
call-up.
Hilditch said Marsh was "very close to selection in the one-day squad when it was initially picked.
"Brett’s
unfortunate illness has provided a great opportunity for him to gain
further experience at the international level," he said.