Cameron Green vs Mitchell Marsh - who should Australia pick for 4th Ashes Test at Old Trafford?

After a long break post the Headingley Test, England and Australia will resume their battle for the Ashes urn with the fourth Test set to commence at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday, July 19.

Australia took a 2-0 lead with close victories at Edgbaston and Lord's before England pulled one back with a three-wicket victory at Headingley. The hosts need to win the remaining two Tests in order to regain the Ashes while a draw will suffice for the Aussies to take the urn back home.

A big decision that the visitors have to arrive at is making a choice between all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh. The former was replaced by his Western Australian Marsh for the third Test due to an injury but could be back in contention for the crucial match in Manchester.

If it does boil down to picking only one of them, Australia's think-tank will be pulling their hair out on the back of Marsh striking a sensational hundred under pressure in the first innings at Headingley.

Who should they opt for though? Let's assess this by factoring in a couple of important aspects.

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Batting form

There's no doubt that Marsh certainly holds an edge here despite a modest overall average of 27.03 in Tests. The sample size doesn't favor him either, having played just the one Test post his stint in the IPL which ended in May. What does though, is the fact that he racked up a stunning counter-attacking century.

It wasn't just any ordinary innings either. There was a clear method to his madness as he left the ball well, defended equally well, and then tore into the loose ones. He also seemed the best-equipped batter in the Australian setup to tackle the extra velocity of Mark Wood.

Green, on the other hand, has tallied just 115 runs in six innings on his British sojourn that began with the WTC final against India. He has got off to numerous starts but hasn't converted a single one of those into a score of note.

His pedigree as a batter needs no reiteration and there's a reason why he is rated so highly. But a big score has eluded Green so far and hence, this factor tips the scales in Marsh's favor, particularly with the Ashes up for grabs.

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Bowling form

Green's ability to embrace the short-ball ploy effectively makes him an X-factor with the ball.

There's not much to choose between the two players on this count. Marsh picked up a wicket apiece in each innings at Headingley while Green has bagged three wickets in the series at an average of 57, to go with a couple of wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Both bring contrasting skill sets to the fore. While Marsh is known to swing the ball, Green bowls with extra pace and hits the deck hard. With some of England's batters also struggling against the short ball, Green adds a cutting edge owing to his height and high release point which makes him a useful proposition to this end.

Both players in question also have a very comparable bowling average in Tests - 36.32 for Green and 37.61 for Marsh. There's no distinct advantage with either bowler ahead of the Old Trafford Test, although the extra pace and bounce that Green generates gives him a slight edge if anything.

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Other factors

There are a couple of other factors which Australia could consider before making the call between the two all-rounders. It is worth noting that the visitors have comfortably been the better fielding side this series and have held onto most of their catches, even as England have shelled quite a few.

While it remains to be seen how much weightage is given to this, Green's brilliance at gully is an enticing prospect for Australia.

Another factor here is the lack of returns off the bats of both David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne. The word doing the rounds is that Warner should keep his spot although the chance of both Marsh and Green being accommodated in the XI at his expense with a makeshift opening combination at Old Trafford cannot be ruled out in entirety.

To sum up, just thank yourself that you aren't an Australian selector, for choosing between Marsh and Green amounts to being caught between a rock and a hard place. If they can, Australia might well want to play both although they must ensure that it doesn't hamper the balance of their playing XI.

However, given the form that Marsh has shown with the bat though, it would take a very brave man to leave him out of the playing XI with the Ashes on the line.

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Who between Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green would you pick as the frontline all-rounder for the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford? Have your say in the comments section below!

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