“I think it’s important to go out there and get some runs in the warm-up games”

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Australia batsman Shaun Marsh is determined to prove that he belongs in the Baggy Greens’ Ashes squad and hopes to do so during the two warm-up matches against Kent and Essex.

Marsh was recently given an opportunity to open the batting when Chris Rogers was ruled out of the recently concluded two-Test series against the West Indies with a concussion. However, the 31-year-old did not make the most of his opportunity as he scored 112 runs at an average of 37.33.

With Rogers set to reclaim his opening spot, Marsh knows that he will face stiff competition if he wants to cement his place in Australia’s Ashes squad.

“There’s going to be lots of stiff competition and I think it’s important to go out there and get some runs in the warm-up games and put your case forward,” Marsh said. “I’m happy to bat anywhere in the top six for the Australian cricket team, but it’s important for me to hopefully get a big couple of hundreds in the tour games.”

Even though Australia haven’t won an Ashes series in England since 2001, Marsh revealed that the Baggy Greens are feeling very confident heading into the series, especially after whitewashing the West Indies 2-0.

“We’re really excited about what opportunities lie ahead for us,” he said. “Obviously we haven’t won here for 14 years but we’re playing a really good brand of cricket at the moment and we’ve come off a good series in the West Indies.

“The boys have trained really well. We had a couple of days off when we first got here and we’re looking forward to heading down to Kent in a few days’ time and getting ourselves ready for that first Test on July 8.”