After the loss of star all-rounder Mitch Marsh for injury, new Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes it is high time his compatriots took the big risk by flying untested 23-year-old all-rounder Mitch Owen to the next ICC Men’s Champions Trophy campaign. Marsh had been an integral element of Australia’s limited-overs form. He announced his withdrawal one month earlier when he got injured and now the Australian selectors have until February 12 to choose someone to replace him and submit the final 15 players to the ICC.
Nobody has been chosen yet by the Australian selectors to replace a key figure in the ODI set-up, but according to Ponting, Owen has put on quite a show in the recent Big Bash League and could, along with a fair bit of confidence and form, make his international debut soon at just 23.
To tell you the truth, I don’t quite know which way they’re headed. If you’ve been watching, that young fellow Mitch Owen has just come out of nowhere, as we’ve seen now, playing for the Hobart Hurricanes, opening the batting,” Ponting said.
Owen finished as the top run-scorer in the BBL with 452 runs at an insane strike rate of 203.60. He has also taken three wickets and got himself a contract with Paarl Royals in the SA20 league.
“He’s also an all-rounder, probably more suited (as a replacement for Marsh). Mitch Marsh has been batting in the top three, just for the last couple of years in one-day cricket anyway.
“As a batsman, he has opened the entry in T20 cricket and has opened the batting for Tasmania in the Marsh Cup, which is our domestic ODI competition, this season.”
“Honestly, I’d be surprised if it were him, but, I suppose, the selectors have made alternate plans because they know they did have a fine quality replacement,” Ponting added.
Australia will kick start their Champions Trophy campaign against England on February 22 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
