Mitch Marsh has revealed he was trying to keep his retirement from first-class cricket a secret until the end of the summer and was left “disappointed” when it became public knowledge last week. Marsh announced last Tuesday that he’s ending his red-ball career with Western Australia at the end of the Sheffield Shield season after 16 years.
The 34-year-old will continue to play white-ball cricket for Australia, and is currently the nation’s T20 international captain. “It has been an honour to play Sheffield Shield cricket for WA,” Marsh said in a statement. “Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the (Perth) Scorchers. WA cricket has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future.”
Mitch Marsh (far right) after Australia retained the Ashes in 2023. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Speaking on Sunday, Marsh revealed he didn’t want to announce the news publicly and was hoping it would go under the radar until the end of the summer. The all-rounder was hoping to step away from red-ball cricket quietly, but the media got wind of it last week.
“I was very keen for it to go under the radar and not make any fuss of it,” he told ABC Grandstand radio. “It somehow got out so here we are, but I’ve had a great time playing for Western Australia.
“I was a little bit disappointed (the news got out), I must be honest, but that’s the world we live in these days. It was obviously going to come out at some stage. I was pretty keen to just walk away quietly, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green and Alex Carey before a Test match against West Indies in 2024. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Mitch Marsh content with ending first-class career
When asked if he might get a ‘swansong’ in the Sheffield Shield so fans can farewell him properly, Marsh said it’s unlikely. He scored 9 and 4 in WA’s last game against Victoria two weeks ago, which looms as his last game of first-class cricket because the Shield season goes on hiatus during the BBL season – where Marsh will captain the Perth Scorchers.
The T20 World Cup will come after that in February, meaning the only Shield game available to Marsh would potentially be in the last round of the regular season or the final. “I don’t think so,” he said. “We’ve got a fairly busy schedule with the World Cup post the Big Bash, which will obviously be my main focus. I’m happy to be walking away.”
Mitch Marsh in action for Perth Scorchers against Sydney Sixers in the BBL. (Photo by James Worsfold – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Marsh said he’s felt the love from the whole cricket community since announcing the news. WA coach Adam Voges said last week: “Mitch embodies everything about what it means to be a Sheffield Shield player for Western Australia. From playing alongside him to coaching him in more recent times, he’s given his all for his state.
“It’s been a privilege to watch him progress from Sheffield Shield to being a very successful player at international level for Australia. He’s an outstanding character on and off the field and it’s been a pleasure to play a part in his journey.”
RELATED:
Marsh has scored 6415 runs at first-class level, averaging 33.06 with 13 centuries and 29 fifties. With the ball he’s taken 171 wickets in 122 matches.
He’s also played 46 Tests for Australia, scoring 2083 runs at 28.53 and taking 51 wickets. The former Western Australia captain has only played six Sheffield Shield games in the past six-and-a-half seasons, focusing more on white-ball cricket.
Aussie coach keen for Mitch Marsh in Ashes series?
Speaking last week, Australia coach Andrew McDonald said it’s not out of the realms of possibility that Marsh could come into calculations for the back-end of the Ashes series. “He’ll be available for Test selection (this season) yes,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to put words in Mitch’s mouth, but if he’s retired from first-class cricket he would potentially look at Test cricket retirement also at the end of the season.”
Marsh didn’t trouble the scorers in the Scorchers’ five-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers in the BBL season opener on Sunday night. He fell for a duck after a brilliant catch from Babar Azam at slip.