Cricket: Opening gambit hasn't worked for Marshall

The time has come for John Bracewell to bite the bullet over experimental opener Hamish Marshall. Despite nearly earning the VC for courage under fire last week, Marshall has looked palpably unsuited to his new position and doesn't deserve to be tortured for any longer, least of all on the basis of a gritty 25.

It's worth noting that the young man, who started his test career on the most hostile of surfaces at the Wanderers six years ago, had made a pretty decent fist of the No 3 position up until March; roughly the time that Bracewell began his mad scientist routine.

Marshall had, by that stage, collected 583 runs at an average of 48.58 - not to be sniffed at in anyone's book - and was such a success through the 2004-05 season that he was named the country's batsman of the year.

His reward? A note from the Brigadier that he should go over the top at dawn and run headlong into enemy set-machine guns with nothing more than his service revolver, cane, and note to his next of kin. Marshall apparently jumped at the chance, which puts you in mind of that ever-optimistic Lieutenant George in Blackadder IV.

But what's happened since has been well-documented - hardly any runs in his first three outings against the West Indies, an unbeaten 23 in the fourth which apparently saved his bacon, and then a double of 6 and 25 at Centurion. People with longish memories will recall John Parker rescuing his career with timely 40s, but this is becoming ridiculous.

Marshall should be applying pressure on the No 3 to No 5 positions, where he's proved so successful in the past, and offering Bracewell alternatives to the line-up that was exposed so horribly against South Africa last week. After 19 test innings, his career falls roughly into two halves: the first nine innings that realised a staggering 538 runs at 67.25, and the 10 innings since; 114 runs at 12.66. Of those, the past six have been as an opener.

This is no time for sentiment. Marshall is considered extremely coachable and is a quality individual, a player who will always stop for a chat and a friendly word no matter what the situation, and doesn't easily take offence. His effort on the fourth day at Centurion, when he took more direct hits to his body than Ned Kelly, was an inspirational effort, worthy of the highest commendation in terms of courage, and something that he can deservedly feel proud of. But it was only 25.

On top of that he doesn't really look like an opener, which isn't surprising since he's never batted there before. He tends to place his trust in the surface and play from the crease, and he doesn't appear to be in the sort of form that can sustain his continued selection.

And then there's the likely condition of the pitch at Newlands, where unheralded Australian paceman Stuart Clark had a field day against South Africa last month, steering his side to a seven-wicket win after taking nine wickets in the match.

Local aficionados insist the pitch will not be as fresh on this occasion but, with dew now hanging in the morning air and the South Africans fully up to speed about New Zealand's batting deficiencies, it would be no surprise if it was.

In which case Marshall is not the player who should be placed in the front line. That assignment should be handed to the two men included in the squad as specialist openers - Michael Papps and Jamie How.

That would leave Marshall and Fulton to scrap for an opportunity at No 3, and would also provide options for Bracewell should Styris and Astle continue to underwhelm, as they did at Centurion. For all that, you wouldn't want to hold your breath.

Marshall's test record

Overall: 19 innings, 652 runs at 38.35
First 9 test innings: 40*, 69, 146, 22, 18, 0, 76, 7, 160 = 538 runs at 67.25
Past 10 test innings: 6, 6, 20, 13, 11, 1, 3, 23*, 6, 25 = 114 runs at 12.66
*Not out