By Farayi Machamire
HARARE – All-rounder Mitch Marsh says Australia – one-day cricket’s top-ranked team – bring “a good attitude” to Zimbabwe for an ODI triangular series with the hosts and South Africa next week.
The Australians, touring here for the first time in 10 years, landed at Harare International Airport Thursday afternoon ahead of the first game of the series on Monday against a struggling Zimbabwean side.
“Every series you play for Australia is important, that’s our aim wherever we play and hopefully we can go and have a good series,” 22-year-old Marsh told reporters upon arrival.
“I think it doesn’t matter who you play. We come here with an attitude that it doesn’t matter who we are playing. We bring a good attitude. We play hard cricket. We play to win every game. So I don’t think it matters who we are going to be playing. We have a lot of respect for both Zimbabwe and South Africa.”
Marsh, who lived in Harare for six months as a youngster when his father Geoff was coach of Zimbabwe, said he was looking forward to the tour.
“A couple of guys have been here over the last two years (with the Australia A side) and we obviously love being back here. So we are ready to have a good few weeks.”
Asked to comment on the morality of the tour, Marsh said:
“Huh, I’m not the right person to ask.”
The Australian team, which has previously boycotted tours here on political grounds, has not been spared of criticism from some quarters for finally agreeing to resume ties with Zimbabwe.
An Australian Telegraph writer this week said Zimbabwe was a “failed state” and that “nothing had changed in the country.”
Australia are using the series as the beginning of preparations for next February’s ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Aaron Finch, Phil Hughes, George Bailey, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Marsh, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Cutting, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Nathan Lyon. Daily News
